Degradation of pharmaceuticals in UV (LP)/H2O2 reactors simulated by means of kinetic modeling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Abstract

UV/H2O2 treatment is a well-established technique to degrade organic micropollutants. A CFD model in combination with an advanced kinetic model is presented to predict the degradation of organic micropollutants in UV (LP)/H2O2 reactors, accounting for the hydraulics, fluence rate, complex (photo)chemical reactions in the water matrix and the interactions between these processes. The model incorporates compound degradation by means of direct UV photolysis, OH radical and carbonate radical reactions. Measurements of pharmaceutical degradations in pilot-scale UV/H2O2 reactors are presented under different operating conditions. A comparison between measured and modeled degradation for a group of 35 pharmaceuticals resulted in good model predictions for most of the compounds. The research also shows that the degradation of organic micropollutants can be dependent on temperature, which is relevant for full-scale installations that are operated at different temperatures over the year.