The Use of Corona Discharge for Rubber Crush Drier Exhaust Control

The rubber crush drier exhaust contains mainly styrene, ethylbenzene, cumene, diizopropylbenzene, alkylphenols, monocyclic terpenes and technological additives as stearic acid, oils an colophony. For possible application of d.c. corona discharge to control styrene in exhaust, the reaction of styrene with additives and air in various d.c. corona discharge tubes was studied. The change of styrene content in the gas phase was measured by IR absorption spectrometry. The decrease of styrene concentration was minimum 83% and reached the 98,9% efficiency. No aromatic compounds remain after corona discharge action in gas phase. The structure of solid products was specified with reflection IR absorption spectrometry and compared with a calibration polystyrene foil (300 μm). The main product has been of malein anhydride-styrene copolymer character for a negative corona discharge and of phenol or quinone-styrene copolymer character for a positive corona discharge.