ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE NANOPARTICLES WITH BAYERITE STRUCTURE IN A CITRIC ACID PRODUCTION PROCESS

Abstract

The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the feasibility of the use of aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles (NHA) with bayerite structure in the separation stage of a citric acid (AC) production process. equilibrium conditions were studied based on adsorption isotherms previously reported by the authors, to determine favorable operational points that allowed to develop a process step of Adsorption by Temperature Change (ACT). The NHA obtained on laboratory scale demonstrated an AC adsorption capacity of 95.77% at 60 °C if an adsorbate / adsorbent concentration ratio of 2.566 and 80.0% if 30 °C was used, this being the greatest difference found between those working temperatures. These two conditions oriented the design from a solid-liquid contact operation towards an ACT cycle, dimensioning the necessary equipment for this stage of the process. The investment required for its introduction into a production process of 5000 t AC / year was estimated at 229636.70 USD. The proposed alternative proved to be economically feasible and superior in several aspects to the reported industrial production processes of CA, reducing investment costs, stage yields and waste amounts.