Three-phase reactors for environmental remediation: catalytic wet oxidation of phenol using active carbon

• Published in: Catalysis today Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 323 - 328
• Main Authors: Fortuny, A., Miró, C., Font, J., Fabregat, A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Carbon(active); Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Oxidation catalyst; Phenol; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Trickle bed; Waste water; Carbon(active); Phenol; Oxidation catalyst; Trickle bed; Waste water; Catalytic reaction; Trickle bed reactor; Activated carbon; Fixed bed reactor; Catalytic reactor; Oxidation; Copper; Experimental study; Supported catalyst
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-5861(98)00388-5

Wet oxidation of phenol aqueous solutions was carried out in a fixed bed reactor operating in trickle flow regime. Mild conditions of temperature (140°C) and oxygen partial pressure (1–9 bar) were used. Three active carbons and one commercially available supported copper catalyst were tested as catalytic material. Previous studies demonstrated that active carbon gives higher phenol conversion than conventional oxidation catalysts, although significant loss of active carbon due to combustion was also found. In the present study, the combustion of the active carbon during the process is highly reduced by lowering the oxygen partial pressure from 9 to 2 bar, maintaining an acceptable phenol conversion. The comparison of the performance of three different active carbons shows that their physical and chemical characteristics largely influence on the phenol conversion achieved.