Deciphering the science behind electrocoagulation to remove suspended clay particles from water

Water Sci Technol. 2004;50(12):177-84.

Abstract

Electrocoagulation removes pollutant material from water by a combination of coagulant delivered from a sacrificial aluminium anode and hydrogen bubbles evolved at an inert cathode. Rates of clay particle flotation and settling were experimentally determined in a 7 L batch reactor over a range of currents (0.25-2.0 A) and pollutant loadings (0.1-1.7 g/L). Sedimentation and flotation are the dominant removal mechanism at low and high currents, respectively. This shift in separation mode can be explained by analysing the reactor in terms of a published dissolved air flotation model.

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum / chemistry
  • Aluminum Silicates / isolation & purification*
  • Bioreactors
  • Clay
  • Electrochemistry / methods*
  • Facility Design and Construction
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Sewage / chemistry
  • Sewage / microbiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Water Pollutants / isolation & purification*
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Sewage
  • Water Pollutants
  • Hydrogen
  • Aluminum
  • Clay