[Calculation method of absolute quantum yields in photocatalytic slurry reactor based on cylindrical light]

Heterogeneous photocatalysis in slurry reactors have the particular characteristic that the catalyst particles not only absorb but also scatter photons so the radiation scattering can not be neglected. However, it is very difficult in mathematics to obtain the rigorous solution of the radiative transfer equation. Consequently present methods, in which the apparent quantum yields can be calculated by employing the incident radiation intensity, always underestimate quantum yields calculations. In this paper, a method is developed to produce absolute values of photocatalytic quantum yields in slurry reactor based on cylindrical UV light source. In a typical laboratory reactor (diameter equal to 5.6 cm and length equal to 10 cm) the values for the photocatalytic degradation of phenol are reported under precisely defined conditions. The true value of the local volumetric rate of photon absorption (LVRPA) can be obtained. It was shown that apparent quantum yields differ from true quantum yields 7.08% and that for the same geometric arrangement, vanishing fraction accounts for 1.1% of the incident radiation. The method can be used to compare reactivity of different catalysts or, for a given catalyst, reactivity with different model compounds and as a principle to design a reactor.