On the Accurate Determination of Reaction Rate Constants in Batch-Type Solar Photocatalytic Oxidation Facilities

A rigorous analysis is presented which allows for the accurate determination of reaction rate constants in batch-type photocatalytic oxidation facilities as well as any other batch-type chemical process where the reaction kinetics are known. Experimental verification of the model is accomplished using an indoor facility which utilizes an ultraviolet (UV) lamp source for the destruction of 4-chlorophenol (4CP). It has been observed that the first-order reaction rate constant increases by about 50 percent with an order of magnitude increase in flow rate. Using the present analysis, it is demonstrated that the approximate method of determining rate constants (the product of the apparent rate constant and the ratio of the reactor volume to the total system volume) is useful over a surprisingly wide range of operating conditions.