Thesis (Ph. D.)--Johns Hopkins University, 1921. / Biography.

Abstract Ammonia is one of valuable chemicals which are commonly used in various industrial factors. It is also a typical pollutant, and has a long-term impact on human health for toxicity characteristics. This study was to investigate the performance, product selectivity and kinetics in oxidation of ammonia solution in WAO process over Cu/ACF catalyst. The operation parameters in continuous WAO process were performed as follows: initial concentration of ammonia in ranging from 200 ppm to 1000 ppm, pH at 12, velocity of influent at below 3.0 ml/min, temperature ranging from 443K to 463K and pressure at 3.0 MPa. In the experiments of catalyst selection, we decided to use 5% Cu/ACF catalyst for its high conversion and selectivity in oxidation of ammonia. A conversion of 95.42% in oxidation of ammonia was achieved under 463K and the product selectivity of N2 was raised from 53% to 85%. We found that Cu/ACF and ACF catalysts both had the good conversion and selectivity in oxidation of ammonia in WAO process. In the long-term test of catalyst stability, Cu/ACF had a bad stability after 48 hours reaction in WAO process. The tests such as XRD, SEM and EA were also determined. The kinetics of WAO over Cu/ACF catalyst in oxidation of ammonia using Power-Rate Law was presented. The apparent reaction order and activated energy were obtained.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the removal performance in oxidation of ammonia solution, synthesized concentration in range of 200 mg/l -1000 mg/l, in continuous WAO process over Cu/La/Ce catalyst. The operation parameters in WAO process were performed as follows: reaction temperature, influent velocity, initial concentration of ammonia and oxygen pressure. During the first stage WAO test, ammonia conversion only reached to 40.1% under the conditions performed as follows: initial concentration of ammonia in 400 mg/l, 12 of pH, 453 K of temperature, 3.0 MPa of total pressure and 3.0 ml/min of influent velocity. In the second stage experiments conducted by 453 K, pH 12, 3.0MPa and 400 mg/l, the ammonia conversion was above 86.2% over catalyst in WAO process. In addition, the conversion of ammonia were found to be 89%, 82.6%, 81.6% and 79.3% when the initial concentration were regulated in 200, 400, 800 and 1000 mg/l respectively; 91.4% conversion of ammonia could be obtained when temperature was raised at 473 K. The tests such as XRD, SEM, EDS, ICP-MS and EA were also determined. The kinetics of WAO over Cu/La/Ce catalyst in oxidation of ammonia solutions using Power-Rate Law was presented to calculate the apparent reaction order and activated energy.