GB1212330A - Photochemical reactor - Google Patents

Abstract

1,212,330. Photochemical reactors. CIBA Ltd. 30 June, 1969 [4 July, 1968; 14 May, 1969], No. 33034/69. Heading B1X. A photochemical reactor comprises a tubular portion 1 of uniform or variable cross-section, e.g. corrugated, Fig. 3 (not shown), the inner wall of which supports a downwardly flowing film of a reaction phase, a source of radiant energy, e.g. a lamp 3, and means including at least one, preferably detachable, nozzle 5 to direct the reaction phase onto the inner wall to form the film. The directing means may also include a dome 1k onto which the reaction phase is sprayed by the nozzle 5. The lamp 3 may be enclosed in a transparent or translucent envelope 2 which may form with another envelope a space for the flow of a cooling and/or filtering medium around the lamp 3. A conduit 8 with at least one detachable nozzle 8m may be provided to direct a washing liquid onto the envelope 2. The reactor may be mounted in a bearing (20), Fig. 2 (not shown), for rotation about its longitudinal axis by a motor and gearing (21-26). If there are several reaction phase directing nozzles (41-44), Figs. 4 and 5 (not shown), they may be separately operable by valves; if only one, it may be rotatable. The reaction phase may be recirculated or passed through several reactors arranged in series or parallel. Tests show the effects of varying the flow rate M of the reaction phase, the diameter D of the tubular portion, the nozzle diameter d and the distance s between the nozzle and the dome upon the film of the reaction phase.