Estimation of Sodium Bicarbonate Crystals Size Distribution in Bubble Column Reactor

Sodium bicarbonate is a substance which is produced in the middle stages of the soda ash production process. In this precipitation process, carbon dioxide gas is continuously injected into the bubble column reactor which contains carbonate and bicarbonate solutions. This work deals with the study of the gas-liquid mass transfer, coupled with chemical reactions and the liquid-solid mass transfer, coupled with crystallization. In this mathematical modeling, a mole balance has been instituted on flows and components through the bubble column, also utilized a nucleation and growth formula for solid phase and the danckwerts theory for mass transfer between gas and liquid phases. The mathematical model can predict effects of several parameters on sodium bicarbonate crystals size distribution. Computed the mathematic simulator model results with experimental results of bubble column reactor of Shiraz Petrochemical Complex for validating the model, and investigated effects of different parameters on sodium bicarbonate crystals size distribution.