Pulsed Corona Discharge Reduction
(PCDR) Technology

Pulsed Corona Discharge Reduction (PCDR) is an innovative water treatment process that harnesses high-energy pulsed corona discharges in a reducing environment to achieve unparalleled decontamination efficiency. Developed with state-of-the-art nanosecond pulse high-voltage generators, PCDR system is engineered to break down some of the most challenging halogenated contaminants, including PFAS/PFOS, chlorophenols and dioxins, offering their nearly complete destruction. This technology is designed for diverse wastewater streams, ranging from industrial effluents to contaminated natural and drinking waters, and it can be tailored to address various concentrations and water matrices.

Key Features and Advantages

Pulsed Corona Discharge in
a Reducing Atmosphere

Reducing Environment: PCDR operates in a reducing medium—typically a hydrogen atmosphere—which is essential for efficient electron donation and the stabilization of reductive species (mostly atomic hydrogen and solvated electrons) during plasma discharge, ensuring enhanced contaminant breakdown.

Voltage (kV) and current (A) oscillograms of a single impulse in a shower mode reactor for 1.2 mS cm-1 wastewater treatment.

  • High-Energy, Nanosecond Pulses: Using advanced nanosecond pulse high-voltage generators from FIDTECH.GMBH, the process delivers controlled, high-energy discharges capable of cleaving even the strongest chemical bonds.

  • Enhanced Reaction Kinetics: The combination of pulsed corona discharge with a reducing environment promotes rapid and effective decontamination, significantly accelerating reaction kinetics compared to conventional oxidation methods.

  • Targeted Contaminant Removal: Only halogenated organic compounds (PFAS/PFOS, chlorophenols, halogenated furans, dioxins, etc.) and some oxygen-containing inorganic ions are removed, general waterborne organics (TOC, COD) remains intact.

PFAS/PFOS and Beyond: PCDR is highly
effective against a range of fluorinated
and chlorinated compounds, including:

  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS/PFOS)

  • Polychlorinated compounds such as chlorophenols and bromophenols

  • Dioxins and chlorofurans 

Robust Bond Cleavage: The intense plasma discharges break the robust chemical bonds in these contaminants, ensuring a high removal rate and effective decontamination even when dealing with chemically resistant pollutants.


Optimal Performance for Specific Concentration Ranges

  • Effective Concentration Range: PCDR is particularly efficient for contaminant concentrations between 0.1 and 10 mg/L.

  • High Removal Efficiency: Within this concentration window, the process can achieve up to 99.96% removal of targeted contaminants.

Integration with Ion-Exchange
Sorption Preconcentration (GLOIO)

  • Technology Synergy: For situations where contaminant concentrations are relatively low (ranging from tens of nanograms per liter to single milligrams per liter), PCDR can be seamlessly combined with our advanced Globular Ion Exchange Polymer Block (GLOIO) technology for maximum treatment efficiency.

  • Preconcentration Capability: GLOIO enables efficient ion-exchange sorption preconcentration, ensuring that even dilute contaminant streams are effectively treated to meet strict environmental standards.

  • Enhanced Water Purification: This integration allows us to purify wastewater to levels measured in picograms per liter, which is crucial for meeting the most stringent regulatory standards, safeguarding public health, and supporting sustainable industrial practices.

  • Adaptability to Water Quality: The PCDR method is designed to work effectively in waters with high salt content (including chlorides) and high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and TOC, making it suitable for challenging wastewater streams such as methanol-containing regeneration waters from our GLOIO process or other PFAS-selective resin regeneration streams used in specialized industrial applications.

  • Dual-Process Strategy (PCDR/PCDO combination): For partially fluorinated PFAS/PFOS and chlorinated or brominated compounds, the most effective strategy is often to combine PCDR with an oxidative plasma treatment process (PCDO) to enhance treatment outcomes and broaden contaminant removal capabilities.

  • Complete Mineralization: This synergistic approach leverages the strengths of both reduction and oxidation processes to achieve complete mineralization of contaminants, leaving no harmful residues behind and preventing secondary pollution.

  • Customizable Treatment Options: By integrating PCDR with PCDO, we offer a flexible treatment strategy that can be tailored to the specific chemical profile of the wastewater, ensuring optimal contaminant removal for industrial, municipal, and environmental applications. More complex combinations, including GLOIO/PCDR/PCDO, Electrochemical Oxidation/PCDR/GLOIO and many others are also available.

Approach for High Contaminant Concentrations

  • Electrochemical Methods and Wet Oxidation: For wastewater streams with high concentrations of fluorinated chemicals (over 100 mg/L), we recommend electrochemical treatment or wet oxidation as an initial step.

  • PCDR as a Polishing Step: After the initial treatment, PCDR or PCDR/PCDO can be applied as a final polishing step to ensure complete mineralization of remaining contaminants.

  • Turnkey Project Design: While we do not currently offer in-house electrochemical or wet oxidation systems, we excel in designing comprehensive turnkey projects. Our expert team can integrate PCDR with other established technologies, delivering customized solutions optimized for your specific treatment needs.

Typical combinations of treatment approaches for high inclet concentrations of contaminants.

Low energy Consumption and High Efficiency

  • Energy Efficiency: One of the standout benefits of PCDR is its very low energy consumption relative to alternative treatment methods.

  • Operational Cost Savings: With energy demands as low as 4 kWh per cubic meter for 100 ng/l PFAS waste streams, our process is both cost-effective and sustainable.

  • Environmental Impact: Reduced energy consumption translates into lower operational carbon footprints, further positioning PCDR as an environmentally friendly solution. In addition, we use green electrochemically produced hydrogen as the only chemical required for the process.

  • Almost Complete Degradation of Long-Chain PFAS and PFOS

  • Superior Mineralization: PCDR is capable of nearly complete mineralization of long-chain PFAS and PFOS compounds. Unlike traditional oxidation processes, plasma reduction does not result in the buildup of short-chain fluorinated by-products.

  • Chain-Length Efficiency: In fact, the efficiency of PCDR improves as the carbon chain length shortens, allowing for the removal of even challenging low molecular weight fluorinated compounds such as trifluoroacetic acid.

  • Minimizing By-Products: This characteristic minimizes the risk of secondary contamination, ensuring that the final effluent meets or exceeds water quality standards.

Applications and Implementation

PCDR technology is designed to address a wide array of applications, making it a
versatile solution in various sectors:

Tough Wastewater Treatment:

Industries generating waste streams with fluorinated, chlorinated, or brominated compounds-such as chemical manufacturing,

electronics, and metal finishing— can benefit from PCDR’s robust contaminant removal. The technology treats high-salinity wastewaters and high-COD streams, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

Tough Wastewater Treatment:

Industries generating waste streams with fluorinated, chlorinated, or brominated compounds-such as chemical manufacturing,

electronics, and metal finishing— can benefit from PCDR’s robust contaminant removal. The technology treats high-salinity wastewaters and high-COD streams, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

Drinking Water and Natural Water Remediation:

When coupled with GLOIO preconcentration, PCDR is exceptionally well-suited for purifying drinking water and natural water sources contaminated with trace levels of PFAS/PFOS. This capability is critical for meeting rigorous safety standards and protecting public health.

Drinking Water and Natural Water Remediation:

When coupled with GLOIO preconcentration, PCDR is exceptionally well-suited for purifying drinking water and natural water sources contaminated with trace levels of PFAS/PFOS. This capability is critical for meeting rigorous safety standards and protecting public health.

Turnkey Project Design for Complex
Installations

Turnkey Project Design for Complex Installations

One of our most significant offerings is our expertise in turnkey project design. We work closely with clients to develop fully integrated water treatment systems that combine our proprietary technologies—including PCDR, GLOIO, and, when necessary, complementary treatments such as electrochemical methods or wet oxidation.

Custom Integration

Custom Integration

  • Our engineering team conducts detailed assessments of each application to design a system that meets the precise needs of the facility, ensuring seamless integration of various treatment steps.

  • From initial feasibility studies through to final commissioning, our turnkey projects cover every aspect of implementation, installation, and after-sales support, making the transition to advanced water treatment straightforward and efficient.

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance

With increasing regulatory pressure to remove persistent organic pollutants from water sources, our advanced PCDR technology offers a proven solution that not only meets but significantly exceeds many current standards and regulatory guidelines. The near-complete mineralization of long-chain PFAS, combined with the exceptionally low generation of harmful by-products, makes this cutting-edge technology a highly reliable, cost-effective, and future-proof choice for ensuring long-term environmental compliance and sustainability.

Conclusion

Pulsed Corona Discharge Reduction (PCDR) is a revolutionary water treatment technology that combines advanced plasma physics with chemical reduction processes to deliver high-performance contaminant removal. Its key advantages include:


  • Reducing Atmosphere Operation: Operates in a reducing (typically hydrogen) atmosphere using pulsed corona discharges, ensuring efficient and targeted breakdown of robust bonds with halogens.
    High Removal Efficiency: Effectively removes critical contaminants such as PFAS/PFOS, chlorophenols, bromophenols, dioxins, and chlorofurans, particularly in the 0.1 – 10 mg/L range with over 99.96% efficiency.

  • Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with our GLOIO ion-exchange preconcentration technology, enabling effective treatment of waters with extremely low contaminant levels and high salt or COD content.

  • Strategic Process Design: Allows initial treatment of high-concentration streams through electrochemical methods or wet oxidation, with PCDR serving as a powerful final polishing step.
    Low Energy Consumption: Operates at approximately 4 kWh/m³ for low-concentration waste streams, making it both economically and environmentally sustainable.
  • Complete Mineralization: Achieves nearly complete mineralization of long-chain PFAS/PFOS without accumulating short-chain by-products and effectively removes challenging compounds like trifluoroacetic acid.
  • Combined Treatment Option: Can be combined with oxidative plasma treatment (PCDO) for comprehensive mineralization of partially fluorinated and halogenated contaminants, ensuring maximum treatment efficiency.
  • Turnkey Project Design Expertise: We provide integrated, custom-built water treatment systems that incorporate the best available technologies, fully tailored to meet your specific needs.

Whether you are dealing with industrial wastewater or aiming to remediate contaminated drinking water sources, our PCDR technology offers a robust, energy-efficient, and highly adaptable solution. Our comprehensive turnkey project offerings ensure the seamless integration of cutting-edge treatment processes, designed to meet even the most demanding environmental standards.



Explore how PCDR can transform your water treatment operations and help you achieve a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future. Contact us today to learn more about our advanced solutions and turnkey project design services.