Major Challenges in the Design of a Large-Scale Photocatalytic Reactor for Water Treatment

Semiconductor photocatalysis is a newly emerging technology for the elimination of harmful chemical compounds from air and water. It couples low-energy UV light with semiconductors acting as photocatalysts. Although extensive laboratory-scale studies have proven the potential of this promising technology to destroy toxic pollutants dissolved or dispersed in water, technical development to pilot-scale level has not yet been successfully achieved. In this paper, the challenges that need to be addressed for the scale-up of multiphase photocatalytic reactors are discussed.