| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 147676 | Chemical Engineering Journal | 2014 | 9 Pages |
•A process model describing key facets of inorganic precipitation is developed.•Novel discretised population balance is used to better describe nucleation.•Thermodynamic model is validated for synthetic struvite solutions.•Model is used to simulate struvite crystallisation at various operating conditions.
A process model is developed to simulate the recovery of inorganic mineral phosphates through precipitation, incorporating nucleation, crystal growth and aggregation mechanisms. The model includes a detailed description of solution thermodynamics, nucleation, growth and aggregation kinetics, a population balance and dynamic mass conservation. A discretised population balance (DPB) is used to describe changes to the particle size distribution (PSD) caused by nucleation, growth and aggregation. A sigmoid function is incorporated into the DPB to produce a better description of small-particle dynamics. The model is applied in the context of nutrient removal and recovery, with specific focus on a recovery pathway for phosphorus based on chemical precipitation. The model is used here to simulate a mixed suspension, mixed product removal (MSMPR) reactor and explore the relationship between operating conditions and thermodynamics. A validation for the solution thermodynamics portion of the model is also performed and the model is found to successfully predict solution pH.
