CATALYST SYSTEMS FOR THE OXIDATION OF PHENOL IN WATER

PAOLA MASSA; M. ALEJANDRA AYUDE; ROSA J. FENOGLIO; J. FROILAN GONZALEZ; PATRICIA M. HAURE

Santa Fe, Argentina

Congreso; 3rd MERCOSUR CONGRESS ON PROCESS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING - 1st MERCOSUR CONGRESS ON CHEMICAL ENGINEERING; 2001

Universidad Nacional del Litoral, CERIDE, INTEC, INGAR

The oxidation of phenol solutions (5000 ppm) has been studied in a semibatch autoclave reactor. Activity screening experiments were performed over two commercial catalysts: CuO+ZnO (Topsoe) and CuO+NiO (Engelhard), and CuO/Al2O3 prepared in our laboratory and described by Rolandi et al (2000). Isothermal runs between 393 and 423K were carried out under an oxygen pressure of 7 atm. Phenol conversion as well as pH and COD measurements were recorded. Almost complete phenol conversion was obtained for all catalysts. However,conversion to CO2 was only partial and intermediate acids were responsible for the pHvariations observed. Laboratory prepared catalysts showed the best performance withthe lowest induction period. An increase in temperature, mass of catalyst and oxygenpartial pressure decreased the induction period. Stability tests showed that catalysts remained moderately active after 60 hrs of operation. A simple kinetic model fits experimental results.