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Photocatalysis in an external four-lamp reactor: modelling and validation—dichloroacetic acid photo-oxidation in the presence of TiO2

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Abstract

Monte Carlo (MC) approach has been used to simulate the photocatalysis process in a photoreactor surrounded by four UV-A lamps attached to a cylindrical aluminum-covered surface. The asymmetrical configuration of the experimental setup suggests the use of MC as a suitable mathematical tool to solve the radiation transfer equation (RTE). Reflectance of frontiers in the photocatalytic reactor has been optimized to minimize the differences between the experimental and the theoretical overall volumetric rate of photon absorption (OVRPA). OVRPA increases as the TiO2 concentration is raised up to values in the proximity of 0.1 g L−1; thereafter, this parameter remains constant. The theoretical results have been validated by means of the photocatalysis of dichloroacetic acid (DCA). Validation has been carried out by completing experiments at different initial DCA concentrations and TiO2 doses. MC algorithm facilitates the solution of the RTE in complex photocatalytic systems. The use of imaginary frontiers reduces computational efforts with no loss in model validation. DCA photocatalysis sustains the theoretical results obtained under different experimental conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the economic support received from Gobierno de Extremadura (projects GRU10012 and GRU15033) and MINECO of Spain (CTQ2015/64944-R and red FOTOCAT CTM2015-71054-REDT). Mr. Rafael Rodríguez Solís also acknowledges Gobierno de Extremadura (Consejería de Empleo Empresa e Innovación) and European Social Funds for his Ph.D. Grant (PD12058).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Química Física, Universidad de Extremadura, Edificio Jose Luis Sotelo, Av. Elvas s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain

    F. J. Rivas, A. Hidalgo, R. R. Solís & M. Tierno

  2. Instituto Universitario del Agua, Cambio Climático y Sostenibilidad (IACYS), Av. De la Investigación s/n, 06006, Badajoz, Spain

    F. J. Rivas, A. Hidalgo & R. R. Solís

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  1. F. J. Rivas
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  2. A. Hidalgo
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  3. R. R. Solís
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  4. M. Tierno
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Correspondence to R. R. Solís.

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Editorial responsibility: J Aravind.

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Rivas, F.J., Hidalgo, A., Solís, R.R. et al. Photocatalysis in an external four-lamp reactor: modelling and validation—dichloroacetic acid photo-oxidation in the presence of TiO2. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 16, 6705–6716 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-019-02282-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-019-02282-x

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