Pilot scale annular plug flow photoreactor by UV/H2O2 for the decolorization of azo dye wastewater

A pilot scale annular plug flow photoreactor with thin gap size, which combines with UV irradiation and hydrogen peroxide, was employed to deal with colored dyeing wastewater treatment. In the experiment, a mono-azo dye acid orange 10 was the target compound. The experimental parameters such as flow rate, hydrogen peroxide dosage, UV input power, pH and dye initial concentrations in a pilot scale photoreactor with flow rate of 9.32 m3 day−1 were investigated. Ultimately, the degradation rates were calculated and compared with a 100-l batch reactor. In our plug flow photoreactor design, the degradation rate of acid orange 10 was 233 times higher than that of 100-l annular batch reactor with same UV light source. The residence time needed for 99% decolorizing of 100 l of 20 mg l−1 acid orange 10 wastewater was 26.9 min for the thin gap plug flow reactor and was far shorter than that of batch reactor needed.