The effect of particle size on the reactivity of active sodium carbonate towards sulfur dioxide

Abstract

The effect of particle size (0.33-1.0 mm) of the sodium carbonate on the reactivity of the active sodium carbonate prepared therefrom towards the sulfur dioxide was studied in a fixedbed integral reactor at a temperature of 150 °C. The found dependence of the reaction rate on the particle size exhibits an unexpected course; at sizes of about 0.65 mm, a distinct minimum appears. The reaction rate decreases approximately ten times in the first branch of this dependence. The controlling factor of the reactivity of sodium carbonate, however, remains to be the method of preparing the active form.