Determination of Optimum Conditions and Reactor Design for Safe Process Operation of Industrial Production of Phosphorous Acid Potassium Salts

Abstract

An aqueous solution of phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) is an example of a phosphonic acid neutralization reaction where potassium salts are formed. This study aimed to design the reactor and the process, which is a problem encountered in the industry, arising from the need to develop a safe and efficient production process. It was found that the production process carried out under exothermic conditions should be in a temperature-controlled reactor at optimum acid: base initial concentration ratios and feed flow rates as 1:1.5, 22800 mL/min, respectively. Due to the risks at the batch reactor, a tubular flow reactor (TFR) has been designed to increase the controllability and the yield of the products produced in the batch reactor having some advantages as to feeding, sampling, and measuring from different points at different times.

Keywords

• phosphorous acid potassium salts
• neutralization reaction
• mono and dipotassium phosphite
• kinetics
• tubular (plug) flow reactor