Modeling the removal of dissolved organic carbon by ion exchange in a completely mixed flow reactor

A mathematical model was developed to describe removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by a macroporous, strong-base anion exchange resin in a completely mixed flow reactor with resin recycle and partial resin regeneration. The two-scale model consisted of a microscale model describing the uptake of DOC by the resin coupled with a macroscale model describing the continuous-flow process. Equilibrium and kinetic parameters were estimated from batch laboratory experiments. The model was validated using continuous-flow data from two pilot plant studies. Model predictions were found to be in good agreement with the observed pilot plant data.