2014-11-14 
Lithuanian Energy Institute (202 a. Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas, Lithuania) Author, Institution: Andrius Tamošiūnas, Lithuanian Energy Institute
Dissertation title: Investigation of thermo-hydro-dynamic processes in water steam plasma and its application for organic waste treatment
Science area, field of science: Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering – 06T
Defense of the dissertation: 2014-11-14, 10:00, Lithuanian Energy Institute (Meeting Hall – AK-202 a.), Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Scientific Supervisor: Dr. Vitas VALINČIUS (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering – 06T)
Dissertation Defense Board of Energetics and Power Engineering Science Field:
- Chairman – Prof. Dr. Habil. Gintautas MILIAUSKAS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering – 06T);
- Prof. Dr. Habil. Algirdas KALIATKA (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering – 06T);
- Prof. Dr. Juozas PADGURSKAS (Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering – 09T);
- Prof. Dr. Liudas PRANEVIČIUS (Vytautas Magnus University, Physical Sciences, Physics – 02P);
- Prof. Dr. Habil. Eugenijus UŠPURAS (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering – 06T).
The doctoral dissertation is available at the libraries of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio st. 20, Kaunas) and Lithuanian Energy Institute (Breslaujos st. 3, Kaunas).
Annotation:
Due to limited fossil fuel reserves, crude-oil price variations and international regulations on emissions, the use of new and renewable energy sources has received significant attention. Therefore, one of the most promising technologies, which enables to solve several problems, such as environmental pollution, efficient hazardous waste treatment and energy/fuel generation, could be plasma technology.
The main goal of the thesis was to design water steam plasma torch for organic waste treatment and investigate thermo-hydro-dynamic processes inside its arc discharge chamber and generated plasma stream.
In the thesis, the interaction between the steam, electric arc and electrodes of the plasma torch during the generation process of a low-temperature thermal plasma stream at atmospheric pressure was investigated; the mechanism of heat transfer in the arc discharge channel of the plasma torch was examined; the efficient organic waste treatment method using thermal plasma technology was implemented.
The results obtained in the thesis are useful to design water steam plasma torches operating at atmospheric pressure with completely different unique physical properties as water steam is involved to form plasma. Furthermore, the results are of significant value regarding the engineering of plasma-chemical reactors for the organic waste treatment as well as for determining the main parameters of the treatment process, including calculations on process efficiency and energy expenditure.