PRODUCTION OF FINE ZINC BORATE IN INDUSTRIAL SCALE

In this study, zinc borate production in an industrial scale batch reactor was carried out at the optimum process conditions, determined in the previous studies performed at the laboratory and pilot scale reactors. The production was done via the heterogeneous reaction of boric acid and zinc oxide. The samples were characterized by chemical analysis, XRD, TGA, SEM and particle size distribution. The final product which was obtained in the industrial scale reactor was 2ZnO center dot 3B(2)O(3)center dot 3H(2)O. The kinetic data for the zinc borate production reaction fit to a modified logistic model where the lag time was taken into account. As observed, the reaction time was influenced by scaling up. There was a lag time of 120 min for the industrial scale production and thus, the reaction completion time Was 70 min longer compared to pilot scale. It should be emphasized that the specific reaction rate, k, as well as the average particle size and the hydration temperature of zinc borate were unaffected by scale up.