Design, modelling and experimentation of a new large-scale photocatalytic reactor for water treatment

Recent literature has demonstrated on a laboratory scale the potential of semiconductor photocatalysis technology to completely destroy organic pollutants present in water. However, to date no viable pilot plant exists using this technology. In this paper, a new reactor design is presented that addresses the two most important parameters, namely, light distribution inside the reactor and high specific surface area of catalyst. The reactor consists of several hollow tubes employed as a means of light delivery to the catalyst present on the outside surface of the tubes. Simple model calculations were performed to evaluate the radial light intensity profile as a function of input light intensity and angle of incidence, diameter, length, wall thickness and surface roughness of tubes. A reactor was designed and constructed based on the modelling results, and when experiments were conducted showed very promising results. The new reactor aims at developing a technical solution to the design of a commercial scale photocatalytic reactor.