The Photocatalytic Degradation of Toluene in a Fixed-Bed Reactor: Experimental Study and CFD Simulation of the Reactor

In this research, the degradation performance of toluene has been evaluated by the design and construction of a fixed-bed photocatalytic reactor. The role of effective operational parameters was investigated, and obtained results indicated that the designed system could degrade toluene up to %95.30 at optimal conditions. The simulation of the reactor was carried out using a three-dimensional CFD to the prediction of the hydrodynamic behavior and determination of the toluene concentration along the reactor. Findings showed that the proposed model could predict the degradation rate of toluene along the reactor. The comparison of the designed system performance with other systems revealed that the current system not only could degrade toluene with higher concentration at a shorter time but also requires less photocatalyst mass per unit area, which is very important economically. The results of this study can be used in the design of photocatalytic reactors for action on an industrial scale.