Literature Study and Reactor Design for Degradation of

Surfactants in Produced Water using Advanced Oxidation Process

HEMAMALINI A/P RAWINDRAN

2015 U N I V E R S I T I T E K N O L O G I P E T R O N A S
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 DETAILS

Research tittle: Literature Study and Reactor Design for Degradation of

Surfactants in Produced Water using Advanced Oxidation Process
Student name: Hemamalini a/p Rawindran
Student ID: G03186
Supervisors name : AP Dr.S. Chandra Mohan
Study Level & Programme of study : MSc in Science by Research
Date of Registration : 30th April 2015
Study mode : Full time
 Gantt Chart

Month

Activities 2015 2016

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 7 8 9 10 11 12
Literature
Review
RPD *

Immobilization **
study for coating

UV and Flow
Rate Study

Coating and ***

Characterization
Study
Process Variable ***
study *

Kinetics and
Mechanism
Report writing ***
and closure **
 Research Objectives

To produce a safe, cost effective and practical photocatalyst AOP using Titania
(anatase) with UV activation.

Immobilization and mechanism studies on Titania coating on flat plate materials under static mode in brine
solution.
Experimental and kinetic studies for degradation of AOS type surfactant in brine solution under dynamic mode
using Titania wall coated plate.
Effects of oil in water and total dissolved solids on surfactant degradation under dynamic mode.
 Surfactants

Surfactants are surface active agents that contains both hydrophobic and hydrophilic
groups.

There are four different type of surfactant classified according to their hydrophilicity;
cationic, anionic, non-ionic and zwitterion.

Surfactants are normally used in the EOR offshore to reduce the interfacial tension
between the oil and water, which allows continuous flow.
 Degradation of Surfactant

Surfactant has the tendency to cause changes in the ecosystem which

may harm the aquatics, vegetation and human beings as they are
responsible in forming foams .

Therefore, stringent limit has been fixed by regulatory authorities for the
amount of surfactants that can be present in water bodies.

In order to reduce the amount of surfactants in water sources,

conventionally, physical treatment has been used.
 Physical Treatments

Table 1: Physical Treatment to Remove Surfactants

 Chemical Treatments AOP Technology

AOP is an emerging process that works under the basis of producing hydroxyl
radicles.

These radicles will eventually react with the organic compounds/ surfactants
which leads to mineralization.
 Types of AOP

Fig 2: Different types of AOP

How does the AOP- Ti/UV technology works?

Fig 3: Degradation mechanism using TiO2/UV

 Experimental setup

Static Mode Setup Dynamic Mode Setup

 Work Progress

Project Status
Start Date: 30th July 2015 End Date: 31st December 2016

Actual Work Work Done

Overall Status Plan Total %
% %

Phase 1 Literature Studies / surveys. 10 Literature Studies 7%

Design AOP Rig 10%

AOP Rig design, fabrication
Phase 2 40 Fabrication of Rig 10% 10%
and testing
Testing of Rig 20%

Conduct experimental studies Static-10 %

Phase 3 on both static and dynamic 20
mode Dyanamic-10% Not started

Kinetics- 10%
Phase 4 Kinetics and mechanism study 20 Not Started
Mechanism- 10%

Literature Study
Phase 5 Report writing and closure 10 Not started
Write - up
 Work Progress
Proposed Reactor Diagram

Top view of reactor Front view of reactor 3D view of reactor

Reactor
 Other work progress

Chemical has been purchased

Ongoing discussion on fabrication of reactor

Literature studies on different type of AOPs

 Next Step

Immobilization study of Titania on different base materials

Conduct optimization study for both static and dynamic mode

Compare the results of the optimization study with the established AOP technology.
Thank You.