Quartz Photoreactor for Photocatalytic Wastewater Degradatio-Amy

Project Background

UV-driven photocatalysis is highly sensitive to UV transmittance. Borosilicate glass strongly absorbs UV below 300 nm, leading to low reaction efficiency and poor repeatability. A research institute required a jacketed quartz photoreactor for lab-scale methylene blue degradation tests, for later continuous-flow scale-up.

Customer Requirements

• Material: UV-grade fused quartz
• Volume: 500 mL, double jacket cooling structure with central lamp well
• Application: TiO₂ photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under 254 nm UV
• Spec: UV transmittance ≥92%, acid & solvent resistant, no yellowing under long UV irradiation

Design & Test Result

The reactor adopted high-purity quartz for reaction chamber and cooling jacket. Under identical conditions:

• Quartz photoreactor: 96.2% degradation in 60 min, RSD＜3% for parallel tests.
• Borosilicate reactor: only 68.7% degradation, poor repeatability.

  Long-term 120 h continuous test showed minor transmittance loss, no yellowing or leakage.

Conclusion

UV-grade quartz guarantees high UV penetration and stable light field, eliminating material-induced test error. This design can be scaled up into tubular continuous quartz photoreactors for wastewater treatment, photochemical synthesis, photocatalytic H₂ production and CO₂ reduction.