1. Intensification of heterogeneous TiO2 photocatalysis using an innovative micro-meso-structured-reactor for Cr(VI) reduction under simulated solar light
- Author
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Vítor J.P. Vilar, Belisa A. Marinho, Madalena M. Dias, Raquel O. Cristóvão, Ridha Djellabi, José M. Loureiro, Rui A.R. Boaventura, José Carlos B. Lopes, and Faculdade de Engenharia
- Subjects
Environmental engineering [Engineering and technology] ,Materials science ,General Chemical Engineering ,Inorganic chemistry ,Mixing (process engineering) ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Static mixer ,01 natural sciences ,Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering ,law.invention ,Tecnologia ambiental, Engenharia do ambiente ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,law ,Environmental Chemistry ,Hexavalent chromium ,Thin film ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Borosilicate glass ,General Chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Cellulose acetate ,Engenharia do ambiente [Ciências da engenharia e tecnologias] ,chemistry ,Chemical engineering ,Tartaric acid ,Photocatalysis ,0210 nano-technology ,Environmental technology, Environmental engineering - Abstract
Process intensification of heterogeneous TiO 2 photocatalysis using a new type of static mixer micro–meso-structured-reactor, based on the NETmix reactor, was evaluated to promote the hexavalent chromium reduction to its trivalent state, in the presence of sacrificial agents. The photocatalytic micro–meso-structured reactor comprises a back acrylic slab where chambers and channels are imprinted and a frontal borosilicate slab with especially high UV transparency, irradiated by simulated solar light. An UV transparent cellulose acetate (CA) sheet coated with TiO 2 -P25 by a simple spray method was assembled between the two slabs of the photoreactor. The reactor geometry provides an efficient exposure of TiO 2 -P25 CA sheets to radiation, with an illuminated surface per unit of volume inside the reactor of 470 m 2 m −3 and 1.36 g TiO 2 per liter of liquid inside the reactor. Beyond that, it provides a good degree of mixing using a laminar flow, maximizing heterogeneous and homogeneous Cr(VI) reduction reactions. Firstly, different organic species were tested as hole scavengers in order to avoid the Cr(III) re-oxidation. The effect of the degree of mixing inside the photoreactor, according to the Reynolds number, on the Cr(VI) photocatalytic reduction was then evaluated. Following, operating conditions such as TiO 2 mass, tartaric acid concentration, pH value, temperature and initial Cr(VI) concentration were analyzed. Results indicate high reduction rates (1 mmol Cr(VI) m −3 illuminated volume s −1 ) and a photonic efficiency of 3.96% for Re = 830, 30 mg TiO 2 and a Cr(VI):tartaric acid molar ratio of 1:90 at pH 3.0 and 25 °C. Finally, the CA sheets coated with thin films of TiO 2 -P25 showed to be suitable for continuous Cr(VI) reduction, without losing efficiency during 3 consecutive photocatalytic cycles.
- Published
- 2017