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Effluent treatment using a bipolar electrochemical reactor with rotating cylinder electrodes of woven wire meshes
Author(s) -
Grau Javier M,
Bisang José M
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.2199
Subject(s) - electrode , electrochemistry , materials science , copper , cylinder , deposition (geology) , polygon mesh , space velocity , hydrogen , composite material , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , chemistry , metallurgy , mechanical engineering , catalysis , geometry , chromatography , paleontology , biochemistry , mathematics , sediment , selectivity , biology , organic chemistry , engineering
BACKGROUND: The behaviour of a bipolar electrochemical reactor consisting of one or more rotating cylinder electrodes of woven wire meshes is reported using copper and cadmium deposition from dilute solutions as test reactions. RESULTS: The best performance related to electrode number was determined for copper deposition and was achieved by an arrangement with two bipolar electrodes, for which the conversion in a single pass was approximately 47%. The specific energy consumption was 3.27 kWh kg −1 with a normalised space velocity of 23.05 h −1 . The copper powder obtained showed a nodular and dendritic surface morphology. This reactor configuration was also analysed for cadmium deposition, in which hydrogen evolution takes place simultaneously as a side cathodic reaction, considering the effect of flow rate and total current. The maximum conversion per pass for cadmium removal was 38.91%. In this case the reactor with two bipolar electrodes showed a performance similar to that of a monopolar reactor operated at a rotation speed three times higher. CONCLUSION: A continuous electrochemical reactor with two rotating bipolar electrodes of woven wire meshes presents a good performance for copper or cadmium removal from dilute solutions. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry