Rheokinetic and efectiveness during the phenol removal in mescal vinasses with a rotary disks photocatalytic reactor (RDPR)

This research shows rheokinetic removal of phenol in mescal distillery residues in a RDPR, using titanium dioxide as semiconductor, with a residence time of 72 h. The highest phenol removal was 82.39% at 55 rpm and 60% (v/v) diluted vinasses; the optimum values were obtained by canonical analysis. Rheological analysis was carried out with a stirrer and Peltier temperature control, and RheoPlus software. Vinasses showed a satisfactory adjustment to Herschel-Bulkley model, rheological index values (n > 1) meaning dilatant flow. Temperature dependence models Arrhenius and Poiseuille were carried out. The kinetic analysis was fitted to Langmuir- Hinshelwood. High shear rates at the disks surface and the dilatancy increased vinasses viscosity, promoting the full contact to the semiconductor, increasing the removal efficiency. The effectiveness factor obtained (0.9981) explained that all the reaction is carried out at the catalyst surface. There was rheokinetic correlation found between the initial yield stress and removed concentration.

Keywords: effectiveness, photocatalysis, mescal, rheology, vinasses.