Reaction Engineering for Pollution Prevention

This book defines environmental reaction engineering principles, including reactor design, for the development of processes that provide an environmental benefit. With regard to pollution prevention, the focus is primarily on new reaction and reactor technologies that minimize the production of undesirable side-products (pollutants), but the use of reaction engineering as a means of treating wastes that are produced through other means is also considered.
First is a section on environmentally benign combustion. The three papers discuss methods of reducing the formation of PAHs and NOx, as well as other environmentally sensitive combustion products. The next section contains a collection of contributions that involve the use of a catalyst to support the reaction. Following this is a section on the use of supercritical fluid solvents as environmentally friendly media for chemical reactions. Finally, a series of papers is presented in which novel reactor designs are utilized to obtain product yields not possible in conventional reactor systems. These include the use of reactor-absorber systems, reactive distillation, and reactive membranes.
The book concludes with a chapter contributed by the editors which discusses the educational aspects of pollution prevention. It is necessary for future generations of engineers to be trained to design processes that are inherently environmentally benign. This chapter assembles resource materials for educators which will spark the creative instincts of the researchers using the materials contained within this book to develop new resources for pollution prevention education.
The broad spectrum of topics included in this book indicates the diversity of this area, and the vibrant nature of the ongoing research. The possibilities of producing desirable products without the formation of waste byproducts are bounded only by the creativity of the reaction engineer.

Section headings and selected papers: Combustion and CO2. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation in counter-flow propylene diffusion flame (N. Olten, S.M. Senkan). A numerical study on NOx reduction by steam addition in counterflow diffusion flame using detailed chemical kinetics (H. Yamashita et al.). Experimental studies on the capture of CO2, NOx and SO2 in the oxygen/recycled flue gas coal combustion system (T. Yamada et al.). The need and options available for permananent CO2 disposal (H.-J. Ziock et al.). An analysis of the disposal of anthropogenic CO2 in the ocean via a submerged hydrate crystallizer (A. Yamasaki et al.). Catalytic Reactions. Reaction kinetics and deactivation of Ni-based catalysts in CO2 reforming of methane (S. Wang, G.Q. (Max) Lu). Unsteady-state kinetics of DeNOx-SCR catalysis (L. Lietti et al.). Regenerative catalytic oxidizer technology for VOC control (V.O. Strots et al.). Novel photocatalytic reactor for the destruction of airborne pollutants (H. Ibrahim, H. de Lasa). Design and development of two large-scale photocatalytic reactors for treatment of toxic organic chemicals in wastewater (A.K. Ray). Supercritical Fluids. Rhodium catalyzed homogeneous hydroformylation of unsaturated compounds in supercritical carbon dioxide (D.R. Palo, C. Erkey). Production of hydrogen peroxide in CO2 (D. Hâncu, E.J. Beckman). Cellulose hydrolysis in supercritical water to recover chemicals (T. Adschiri et al.). Reactor Design and Miscellaneous Contributions. Operation of reactor-adsorber systems for minimization of exhaust gases emissions (J. Jirát et al.). Environmentally benign hydrocarbon processing applications of single and integrated permreactors (S. Vasileiadis, Z. Ziaka).