A Novel Fountain Photocatalytic Reactor for Water Treatment and Purification:  Modeling and Design

A novel, thin-film, slurry “fountain” photocatalytic reactor for water treatment and purification is presented. The novelty of the reactor centers on the design of a special nozzle through which water is pumped to create a thin film. The film emerges from the nozzle in the shape of a smooth and radially expanding water fountain. A radiation source (solar or UV lamps) is situated above the fountain. Two dimensionless mathematical models for the photoreactora flat fountain model and a parabolic fountain modeland simulation results under a number of different conditions including the effects of nozzle setting (radius, aperture, and angle), flow rate, and light scattering are presented. The model simulations suggest that optimal photoreactor design is given by fountains with large surface areas. Photocatalysts with scattering albedos smaller than 0.3 result in optimal photoreactor performance. The models presented may be used as a tool for the design, scale-up, and optimization of these types of reactors.