A semi-batch reactor experiment for the undergraduate laboratory

An semi-batch reactor (SBR) is used to process the simple reaction between sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide. In the present system, a Vernier® conductivity probe with GoLink® interface and Logger Lite® data collection and plotting software were used. The results show that the batch solution conductivity rises monotonically until the maximum value measurable by the probe is reached. It is also found that consuming approximately 1 liter of bleach in this system causes the batch temperature to rise to approximately 8 centigrade degrees. The modeling results show that the bleach might contain an additional inert ionic species not accounted for and that an accurate measure of the bleach flow rate is critical. The batch concentration of the bleach jumps initially as the bleach is first added, and then rises slowly, but all at a very low value.