THE REACTION RATE OF SODIUM SULFITE WITH DISSOLVED OXYGEN. Technical Report No. 73

The reaction rate of sodium sulfite was studied as a function of oxygen concentration, Na/sub 2/SO/sub 3//O/sub 2/ ratio, temperature, catalyst, pH and surface/volume ratio.The reaction rate of hydrazine with dissolved oxygen was also studied. Oxygen removal is incomplete when the sulfite to oxygen ratio is leas than the stoichiometric quantity. With the stoichiometric quantities of oxygen and sodium sulfite present, removal is incomplete at 100 deg F in 1 min, at 200 deg F, about 95% of the oxygen is removed in 10 sec and at 300 deg F oxygen removal is essentially complete in 10 sec. With an excess of sulfite present (10 Na/sub 2/SO/sub 3//1 O/sub 2/, molar), 95% of the oxygen is removed at 100 deg F in 10 sec. At 200 and 300 deg F, oxygen removal is essentially complete in 10 sec. The rate of oxygen removal is dependent to some extent on the container material. The sulfite oxygen reaction progresses at a higher rate in boiler water than in feedwater. The reaction rate of hydrazine with oxygen is low compared with the reaction rate of sulfite and dissolved oxygen. No reduction of oxygen was noted over a one-minute period with an excess of hydrazine. (auth