A rotary drum reactor has been applied to the reduction of Fe3+ (2.532g/l) in a chloride bath for iron plating with metallic iron particles (0.110mm). The rotary drum reactor used has a hexagonal cross section of 260 mm in inscribed circle diameter, 300 mm in length and total inner volume of 161.
The rate-determining step in the reduction of Fe3+ was assumed to be the diffusion process of Fe3+ in the iron plating bath toward the surface of iron particles. The performance of the reactor was evaluated in terms of an apparent mass transfer coefficient. It was found that the mass transfer coefficient increases as the rotational speed and inclination of reactor increase. The reduction efficiency was found to be independent of these operating conditions of the reactor. An applicability of the rotary drum reactor to the reduction process of Fe3+ in a chloride bath for iron plating has been demonstrated.
