A New Step-based Photoreactor for Degradation of Acid Dye using N-TiO2-P25-coated Ceramic Foam under Visible Light

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Energy and Environment Research Center, Niroo Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In the present study, a new step-based photoreactor was presented to investigate the degradation of Acid Red 73 under visible light irradiation. Four N-TiO2-coated alumina foams prepared by the modified sol-gel process were arranged in each step as photocatalyst. The experimental design methodology was employed to assess the interaction between the operational parameters in the step-based photoreactor. The effect of the initial dye concentration and the dipping time of the support on degradation efficiency is highly significant. The optimal values were found to be a flow rate of 587.96 mL/min, an initial dye concentration of 5.82 mg/L, an H2O2 concentration of 1.26 mg/L and the dipping time of 43 min. The 94% reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) value indicated the effective mineralization of organic reactants of the solution. The kinetics analysis shows that the photocatalytic removal of Acid Red 73 in such photoreactor follows a first-order model. It was also shown that the proposed modified photoreactor could improve the degradation efficiency compared to the conventional step photoreactor. Results indicate that there is a potential to develop thin film coatings integrated into this new step-based photoreactor, allowing an effective photocatalytic process.

Keywords


[1] He HY, Chen P. Recent advances in property enhancement of nano TiO2 in photodegradation of organic pollutants. Chemical Engineering Communications. 2012 Dec 1;199(12):1543-74.
[2] Vaez M, Moghaddam AZ, Mahmoodi NM, Alijani S. Decolorization and degradation of acid dye with immobilized titania nanoparticles. Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 2012 Jan 1;90(1):56-64.
[3] Chong MN, Jin B, Chow CW, Saint C. Recent developments in photocatalytic water treatment technology: a review. Water Research. 2010 May;44(10):2997-3027.
[4] Shan AY, Ghazi TI, Rashid SA. Immobilisation of titanium dioxide onto supporting materials in heterogeneous photocatalysis: a review. Applied Catalysis A: General. 2010 Dec 1;389(1-2):1-8.
[5] Eydivand S, Nikazar M. Degradation of 1, 2-Dichloroethane in simulated wastewater solution: A comprehensive study by photocatalysis using TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles. Chemical Engineering Communications. 2015 Jan 2;202(1):102-11.
[6] Damodar RA, Swaminathan T. Performance evaluation of a continuous flow immobilized rotating tube photocatalytic reactor (IRTPR) immobilized with TiO2 catalyst for azo dye degradation. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2008 Oct 1;144(1):59-66.
[7] Damodar RA, Jagannathan K, Swaminathan T. Decolourization of reactive dyes by thin film immobilized surface photoreactor using solar irradiation. Solar Energy. 2007 Jan 1;81(1):1-7.
[8] Chan AH, Chan CK, Barford JP, Porter JF. Solar photocatalytic thin film cascade reactor for treatment of benzoic acid containing wastewater. Water Research. 2003 Mar 1;37(5):1125-35.
[9] Lee JH, Nam W, Kang M, Han GY, Yoon KJ, Kim MS, Ogino K, Miyata S, Choung SJ. Design of two types of fluidized photo reactors and their photo-catalytic performances for degradation of methyl orange. Applied Catalysis A: General. 2003 May 8;244(1):49-57.
[10] Rizzo L, Koch J, Belgiorno V, Anderson MA. Removal of methylene blue in a photocatalytic reactor using polymethylmethacrylate supported TiO2 nanofilm. Desalination. 2007 Jun 10;211(1-3):1-9.
[11] Guillard C, Disdier J, Monnet C, Dussaud J, Malato S, Blanco J, Maldonado MI, Herrmann JM. Solar efficiency of a new deposited titania photocatalyst: chlorophenol, pesticide and dye removal applications. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. 2003 Nov 10;46(2):319-32.
[12] Alijani S, Moghaddam AZ, Vaez M, Towfighi J. Characterization of TiO 2-coated ceramic foam prepared by modified sol-gel method and optimization of synthesis parameters in photodegradation of Acid Red 73. Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering. 2013 Oct 1;30(10):1855-66.
[13] Alijani S, Moghaddam AZ, Vaez M, Towfighi J. Synthesis of N–TiO 2–P25 coated on ceramic foam by modified sol–gel method for Acid Red 73 degradation under visible-light irradiation. Research on Chemical Intermediates. 2015 Jul 1;41(7):4489-509.
[14] Collazzo GC, Foletto EL, Jahn SL, Villetti MA. Degradation of Direct Black 38 dye under visible light and sunlight irradiation by N-doped anatase TiO2 as photocatalyst. Journal of Environmental Management. 2012 May 15;98:107-11.
[15] Ochuma IJ, Osibo OO, Fishwick RP, Pollington S, Wagland A, Wood J, Winterbottom JM. Three-phase photocatalysis using suspended titania and titania supported on a reticulated foam monolith for water purification. Catalysis Today. 2007 Oct 15;128(1-2):100-7.
[16] Soleymani AR, Saien J, Chin S, Le HA, Park E, Jurng J. Modeling and optimization of a sono-assisted photocatalytic water treatment process via central composite design methodology. Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 2015 Mar 1;94:307-14.
[17] Natarajan K, Natarajan TS, Bajaj HC, Tayade RJ. Photocatalytic reactor based on UV-LED/TiO2 coated quartz tube for degradation of dyes. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2011 Dec 15;178:40-9.
[18] Mozia S, Tomaszewska M, Morawski AW. Decomposition of nonionic surfactant in a labyrinth flow photoreactor with immobilized TiO2 bed. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. 2005 Aug 8;59(3-4):155-60.
[19] Vaez M, Zarringhalam Moghaddam A, Alijani S. Optimization and modeling of photocatalytic degradation of azo dye using a response surface methodology (RSM) based on the central composite design with immobilized titania nanoparticles. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 2012 Mar 7;51(11):4199-207.
[20] Sakkas VA, Islam MA, Stalikas C, Albanis TA. Photocatalytic degradation using design of experiments: a review and example of the Congo red degradation. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2010 Mar 15;175(1-3):33-44.
[21] So CM, Cheng MY, Yu JC, Wong PK. Degradation of azo dye Procion Red MX-5B by photocatalytic oxidation. Chemosphere. 2002 Feb 1;46(6):905-12.
[22] Chong MN, Jin B, Chow CW, Saint CP. A new approach to optimise an annular slurry photoreactor system for the degradation of Congo Red: Statistical analysis and modelling. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2009 Oct 1;152(1):158-66.
[23] Parra S, Stanca SE, Guasaquillo I, Thampi KR. Photocatalytic degradation of atrazine using suspended and supported TiO2. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. 2004 Jul 30;51(2):107-16.
[24] Mascolo G, Comparelli R, Curri ML, Lovecchio G, Lopez A, Agostiano A. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl red by TiO2: Comparison of the efficiency of immobilized nanoparticles versus conventional suspended catalyst. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2007 Apr 2;142(1-2):130-7.
[25] Jamali A, Vanraes R, Hanselaer P, Van Gerven T. A batch LED reactor for the photocatalytic degradation of phenol. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification. 2013 Sep 1;71:43-50.
[26] Hou D, Goei R, Wang X, Wang P, Lim TT. Preparation of carbon-sensitized and Fe–Er codoped TiO2 with response surface methodology for bisphenol A photocatalytic degradation under visible-light irradiation. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. 2012 Sep 25;126:121-33.