Study on 1,2,3‐trichlorobenzene destruction in a binary (Na,K)2CO3 molten salt oxidation system

Abstract

This work focused on the destruction of 1,2,3‐trichlorobenzene (1,2,3‐TCB) in a binary molten salt oxidation (MSO) system. The effects of MSO reactor temperatures, additive amounts of TCB, and salt mixture on destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of TCB and chlorine retention efficiency (CRE) were investigated. The drained salt was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the reaction mechanism and pathway were proposed as well. The results showed that the DRE and CRE reached more than 99 and 95%, respectively, at temperatures above 900°C. The reaction by‐products included C6H6, CH4, and CO, while chlorinated species were not detected. Larger amounts of salt mixture meant prolonging the gas residence time and were helpful for reaction. When TCB loading increased from 5 to 25 g, the DRE decreased by 6, <1, and <1%, and the CRE also decreased. The XRD analysis of drained salt confirmed the capture of chlorine in TCB by the molten salt. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 33: 65–69, 2014