Fluid dynamics modelling of UV reactors in advanced oxidation processes for VOC abatement applications

Abstract

The present work focuses on the treatment of VOC emissions from industrial processes, since they represent a very severe environmental hazard. For removing the VOC, an AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process) stage based on UV light and ozone was considered, analyzing the methods for the unit scale-up. An innovative CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) model, combining UV irradiation, reaction kinetics and fluid dynamics, describing the behavior of UV reactors in the laboratory scale, was developed. This model was verified against experimental results, displaying good agreement. Therefore, we concluded the CFD model could adequately describe relevant features regarding the performance of UV reactors. After analyzing the laboratory reactors, two designed and scaled up prototypes, were simulated using the CFD model. While the first prototype has a standard lamps configuration, the second presents an innovative lamps distribution. As for the laboratory cases, the most relevant features in terms of irradiation and reaction were described for the prototypes, comparing their performance. We evaluated both the overall VOC conversion and VOC conversion per UV lamp, analyzing the energy efficiency of each configuration with adequately accuracy. Therefore, we conclude the developed CFD model to be an important tool for reactor scale-up as a result of the good prediction of experimental results and the accurate description of the governing phenomena. By using the developed model, the scale-up process of UV reactors can be quickly improved, by screening various configurations with the simulator before testing them, saving significant time and effort in the development of full-scale reactors.