Inversion of sucrose solution by ion exchange: evaluation of reaction rate and diffusivity

Abstract

The inversion of sucrose solution was studied in a packed bed of strongly acidic cation exchange resins in order to determine the values of the reaction rate constant, effective diffusivity and distribution coefficients for 20, 30 and 40 wt.% solution concentration. Typical values of specific rate constant for 30 wt.% sucrose solution varied from 0.0115 to 0.7391 min −1 in the temperature range from 30 to 70 °C. The intrinsic values of activation energy and Arrhenius constant were 24.93 kcal mol −1 and 7.657 × 10 15 min −1 respectively. The effective diffusivity varied from 3.826 × 10 −8 to 18.951 × 10 −8 cm 2 s −1 for the above concentration and temperature intervals. The distribution coefficient was about unity. It was found that liquid film mass transfer resistance was important at low flow rates, although the solution concentration was high.