A methodology for modeling photocatalytic reactors for indoor pollution control using previously estimated kinetic parameters.
A methodology for modeling photocatalytic reactors for their application in indoor air pollution control is carried out. The methodology implies, firstly, the determination of intrinsic reaction kinetics for the removal of formaldehyde. This is achieved by means of a simple geometry, continuous reactor operating under kinetic control regime and steady state. The kinetic parameters were estimated from experimental data by means of a nonlinear optimization algorithm. The second step was the application of the obtained kinetic parameters to a very different photoreactor configuration. In this case, the reactor is a corrugated wall type using nanosize TiO(2) as catalyst irradiated by UV lamps that provided a spatially uniform radiation field. The radiative transfer within the reactor was modeled through a superficial emission model for the lamps, the ray tracing method and the computation of view factors. The velocity and concentration fields were evaluated by means of a commercial CFD tool (Fluent 12) where the radiation model was introduced externally. The results of the model were compared experimentally in a corrugated wall, bench scale reactor constructed in the laboratory. The overall pollutant conversion showed good agreement between model predictions and experiments, with a root mean square error less than 4%.
INTEC - Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química, CONICET - UNL, Güemes 3450, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina.
Claudio
C
Passalía
Orlando M
OM
Alfano
Rodolfo J
RJ
Brandi
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002384:Catalysis; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D000393:Air Pollutants; C009495:titanium dioxide; D005557:Formaldehyde; D014025:Titanium