Radiation model of a TiO₂-coated, quartz wool, packed-bed photocatalytic reactor

• Published in: AIChE journal Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 1030 - 1044
• Main Authors: Imoberdorf, G.E, Vella, G, Sclafani, A, Rizzuti, L, Alfano, O.M, Cassano, A.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.04.2010; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemical engineering; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Monte Carlo; packed-bed reactor; photocatalysis; quartz wool; radiation modeling; Reactors; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Monte Carlo method; Energy distribution; Photocatalysis; Prediction; Fixed bed reactor; Absorption coefficient; radiation modeling; Modeling; packed-bed reactor; quartz wool; Mean square error; Design; Particle size distribution; Monte Carlo; Titanium oxide
• ISSN: 0001-1541; 1547-5905
• DOI: 10.1002/aic.11863

The radiation field of a packed-bed photocatalytic reactor filled with quartz wool coated with titanium dioxide was modeled using the Monte Carlo technique and the following information: the radiation flux emitted by the lamps, the diameter size distribution of the quartz fiber cloth, the mass of quartz fibers and of TiO₂ that was immobilized on the fiber surface as well as the refractive index, and the spectral absorption coefficient of the materials of the system. Modeling predictions were validated with radiometer measurements of the transmitted radiation through the reactor, the root mean square error being <9.7%. Finally, by means of a parametric study, the validated model was used to analyze the effect of the design variables, such as the radii of the quartz fibers, thickness of the TiO₂ coatings, and amount of TiO₂-coated quartz wool, on the distribution and nonuniformity of the radiative energy distribution inside the reactor. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010