Continuous-Flow Solar Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton Process in a Lab-Made Low-Cost CPC Photoreactor for Efficient Dye...

In this work, a continuous-flow lab-made solar compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) photoreactor was designed to be used in a heterogeneous solar photo-Fenton process. The photoreactor was constructed by using recyclable and low-cost materials. Mn-Zn ferrite obtained from spent batteries was used as the catalyst, and H₂O₂ was used as the oxidizing agent to evaluate the CPC photoreactor using methylene blue (MB) as the target compound. The ferrite was securely attached to the central position of the tubes using neodymium magnetic bars, while an aquarium pump was employed to propel the fluid through the tubes, ensuring adequate velocity for the photo-Fenton treatment. The results demonstrated some important parameters that needed to be considered during CPC photoreactor construction, such as reflective surface dimensions and concentration factor. Parameters such as total organic carbon, discoloration, and chemical oxygen demand were evaluated in order to assess the MB removal efficiency. The results showed that after 1 h of solar irradiation, 98% of MB was degraded. The catalyst composition before and after the application process was investigated by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, revealing that the enhanced degradation was associated with the participation of Fe, Mn, and Zn in the ferrite performance for hydroxyl radical generation. The photoreactor demonstrated good versatility and applicability, making it suitable for wastewater treatment and investigation of various photocatalytic processes that used solar irradiation.