Design and Cost of Solar Photocatalytic Systems for Groundwater Remediation

Laboratory and small-scale field experiments have shown that sunlight in conjunction with a simple catalyst can be used to detoxify water contaminated with a variety of hazardous chemicals. This study builds on previous analyses and recent field test data to predict the cost and performance of a representative commercial water detoxification system. Three different solar operating configurations are explored for the treatment of 100,000 gal/day of groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene. Current costs for solar water detoxification systems are projected to be comparable to those for conventional treatment technologies such as carbon adsorption and electric lamp-powered, ultraviolet light/hydrogen peroxide systems.