Kinetic Modeling of VOC Photocatalytic Degradation Using a Process at Different Reactor Configurations and Scales

Aymen Amine Assadi; Bouzaza Abdelkrim; Wolbert Dominique

doi:10.1515/ijcre-2015-0003

Article

Kinetic Modeling of VOC Photocatalytic Degradation Using a Process at Different Reactor Configurations and Scales

Aymen Amine Assadi , Bouzaza Abdelkrim and Wolbert Dominique

Published/Copyright: April 4, 2015

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From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 14 Issue 1

Abstract

This work investigated the performance of isovaleraldehyde (3-methylbutanal) removal from gas streams in photocatalytic reactors at room temperature. The feasibility of pollutant removal using the up-scaled reactor was systematically assessed by monitoring the removal efficiency at different operational parameters, such as geometries of reactor, air flow rate and inlet concentration. A proposal modeling for scaling up the photocatalytic reactors is described and detailed in this present study. In this context, the photocatalytic degradation of isovaleraldehyde (Isoval) in gas phase is studied. In fact, the removal rate has been compared at different continuous ﬂow reactors: a photocatalytic tangential reactor (PTR), planar reactor and P5000 pilot. The effects of the inlet concentration, ﬂow rate, geometries and size of reactors on the removal efficiency are also studied. A kinetic model taking into account the mass transfer step is developed. The modeling is done by introducing an equivalent intermediate (EI) formed by the photo-oxidation of Isoval. This new approach has substantially improved the agreement between modeling and experiments with a satisfactory overall description of the mineralization from lab to pilot scales.

Keywords: kinetic modeling; VOC; mass transfer; scaling up; photocatalytic reactors

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the authors wish to thank it. We thank also the Ahlstrom Company which provided us with the photocatalytic medium.

Nomenclature

r: Average degradation rate (mmol m⁻² s⁻¹)
Q: volumetric flow rate (m³ s⁻¹)
S: catalytic medium surface (m²)
k: degradation rate constant (mmol m⁻³ s⁻¹)
K: equilibrium adsorption constant (m³ mmol⁻¹)
Re: Reynolds number
Sh: Sherwood number
Sc: Schmidt number
k_m: mass transfer coefficient (m s⁻¹)
d_eq: equivalent diameter for the annular reactor (m)
L_tot: length of the reactor (m)
D: diffusivity in the air (m² s⁻¹)
av: effective catalyst area per unit volume of reactor (m² m⁻³)
C: bulk gas-phase concentration (mmol m⁻³)
C_s: medium surface gas-phase concentration (mmol m⁻³)
P: pressure of gas stream (Pa)
T: absolute temperature (K)
(υ)_A/(υ)_B: molecular volumes of gases A and B
M_A/M_B: molecular weights of A and B (g mol⁻¹)
“A”: air stream
“B”: isovaleraldehyde
I: intensity of the incident radiation at the lamp (W m⁻²)
ϴ_p: fractional surface coverage
C: concentration of each compound adsorbed on the solid phase
ϑ_i_,j: stoichiometric coefficients
γ_p_,i: γ_I and γ_p_,j are orders of reaction
φ: number of compounds
n_p: number of reactions
α: coefficient of UV intensity
u: the velocity of flow (m s⁻¹)
C_i: the concentration of any compound i in the bulk
k_f: mass transfer coefﬁcient (m s⁻¹)
C_s_,i: the concentration adsorbed on catalyst at equilibrium (mol m⁻³)
q: the adsorption capacity (mol g⁻¹)
q_m_,i: the maximum adsorption capacity onto the solid (mol g⁻¹)
m_cat: the amount of photocatalyst (g m⁻³)

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Published Online: 2015-4-4

Published in Print: 2016-2-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2015-0003

Keywords for this article

kinetic modeling; VOC; mass transfer; scaling up; photocatalytic reactors