Antisolvent based precipitation: Batch, capillary flow reactor and impinging jet reactor

Abstract

A method for continuous antisolvent precipitation of ammonium perchlorate (AP) using a confined impinging jet reactor (CIJR) is studied. The geometry of the CIJR was optimized to achieve excellent mixing with a significant reduction in the particle deposition on walls. Initially, the experimental conditions were optimized in a batch system and then in a continuous capillary reactor. Later those conditions extended for antisolvent precipitation of AP in an impinging jet reactor using water and n-butyl alcohol as a solvent and antisolvent, respectively for optimum performance. The performance was compared with the experiments in batch mode as well as and in a continuous capillary reactor. Over a range of inlet jet velocity that corresponded to 1792 < Re < 7193 for the saturated aqueous solution of AP and 1135 < Re < 4553 for the antisolvent butanol phase, 8.98–16.98 µm Ammonium perchlorate particles were attained.