Kinetics and mass transfer effects in the oxidation of ferrous sulfate over doped active carbon catalysts

Ferric sulfate is used in water purification. The oxidation of ferrous sulfate, FeSO₄, to ferric sulfate in acidic aqueous solutions of H₂SO₄ over finely dispersed active carbon particles was studied in a vigorously stirred batch reactor. Molecular oxygen was used as the oxidation agent and two kinds of catalysts were utilized: active carbon, doped active carbon. Both active carbon and doped active carbon catalysts enhanced the oxidation rate considerably.

Systematic kinetic experiments were carried out at the temperature and pressure ranges of 60–100°C and 4–10 bar, respectively. The results revealed that both non-catalytic and catalytic oxidation of Fe²⁺ take place simultaneously. The experimental data were fitted to rate equations, which were based on a plausible reaction mechanism: adsorption of dissolved oxygen on active carbon, electron transfer from Fe²⁺ ions to adsorbed oxygen and formation of surface hydroxyls. A comparison of the Fe²⁺ concentrations predicted by the kinetic model with the experimentally observed concentrations indicated that the mechanistic rate equations were able to describe the intrinsic oxidation kinetics of Fe²⁺ over pure active carbon and doped active carbon catalysts.