Interpretation of gas-liquid reactive crystallization data using a size-independent agglomeration model

A CO2-BaCl2-H2O gas-liquid reactive crystallization system, depicted by a size-independent agglomeration model, was successfully used to explore the crystallization kinetics of barium carbonate crystals. The growth kinetics shows that growth rate is proportional to a 1.85 order of relative supersaturation and decreases with an increase in pH value. The agglomeration kernel is nearly proportional to the growth rate of barium carbonate crystals and decreases with an increase in pH value. The nucleation rate of barium carbonate crystals is proportional to a 2.15 order of relative supersaturation revealing a heterogeneous nucleation mechanism. The size-independent agglomeration model is useful in the prediction of the elapsed time vs. the number of particles. The model shows that the precipitation occurs in showers within a period of a few minutes. Using the kinetic expressions obtained in this study, a comparison between calculated and measured numbers of particles is also discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.