An electrocoagulation (EC) process with a novel edge insulated electrode for separation of oil-in-water emulsions

Jun-Ying Wang; Abudukeremu Kadier; Juan M. Peralta-Hernández; Cun-Guang Liang; Peng-Cheng Ma

Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Jun 2023)

An electrocoagulation (EC) process with a novel edge insulated electrode for separation of oil-in-water emulsions

Jun-Ying Wang,
Abudukeremu Kadier,
Juan M. Peralta-Hernández,
Cun-Guang Liang,
Peng-Cheng Ma

Affiliations

Jun-Ying Wang: Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Abudukeremu Kadier: Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Corresponding author. Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China.
Juan M. Peralta-Hernández: Universidad de Guanajuato, Departamento de Química, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Cerro de La Venda S/n, Pueblito de Rocha, Guanajuato, 36040, Mexico
Cun-Guang Liang: Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Peng-Cheng Ma: Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Corresponding author. Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830000, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7
p. 100354

Abstract

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The high oil removal efficiency, easy to automate and environmental adaptability make electrocoagulation (EC) technology well-suited for separation of oil-water mixtures. However, achieving high removal efficiency while to reduce the economic costs in the EC process, which has a great research value and application prospect. In this study, a novel edge insulated electrode material pointed out a direction to optimize oil removal efficiency and energy consumption. In the experiment, it was found that the electrode and electrical energy consumption of EC process with edge insulated electrode was 0.69 kg/m3 and 1.19 kWh/kg, respectively, which was lower than blank group. The results also showed that an improvement in the COD removal efficiency of 1.29% was achieved when mixing benzene in water. Besides, modeling provides a reliable description of the above experimental results, thus, the current distribution and its effect on EC performance were studied by COMSOL. The modelling results showed that the edge insulated electrode configuration had significant effects on the current distribution, it can change direction of current and increase its amount, consequently obtained higher separation performance. Overall, the edge insulated electrode is economically feasible and it could be promising candidate for the enhancement of oil-water separation by EC process.

Published in Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering

ISSN: 2666-0164 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General): Environmental engineering; Technology: Chemical technology: Chemical engineering
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/case-studies-in-chemical-and-environmental-engineering

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