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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Modelling wet-air oxidation of phenol in a trickle-bed reactor using active carbon as a catalyst

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BACKGROUND Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of phenol in a trickle-bed reactor has been investigated (operating parameters: P=1.85 MPa, T=393, 413, 433 K, L=0.17–1.77 kg m−2 s−1 and G=0.2–0.62 kg m−2 s−1). Activated carbon was used as a catalyst. The experimental results have been simulated by Eulerian multifluid model (CFD) and for comparison by the plug flow model. RESULTS The experiments proved that active carbon can be applied as a catalyst in the phenol oxidation processes revealing a catalytic activity comparable with that of commonly used metal oxides. The highest conversion of phenol obtained in long-lasting experimental runs carried out at stable catalytic activity (PO2 = 0.31 MPa, T=413 K) was about 60%. Computed results show that the CFD model approximates better the experimental data (mean error 11.6%; standard deviation 5.2%) than the plug flow model (mean error 16.9%; standard deviation 12.2%). CONCLUSION CWAO of phenol over active carbon as a catalyst cannot be applied as an independent purification method. To remove phenol completely CWAO must be combined with other depolluting technology. The CFD model describes better the hydrodynamic phenomena in a bed of variable porosity than the simple plug flow model. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry