Zn(II) Removal from Wastewater by Electrocoagulation/Flotation Method using New Configuration of a Split-Plate Airlift Electrochemical Reactor

Abstract

In this paper, split-plate airlift electrochemical reactor as an apparatus with new configuration for wastewater treatment was provided. Two aluminum plates were fixed inside the reactor and present two functions; first it works as split plates for internal loop generation of the airlift system (the zone between the two plates acts as riser while the other two zones act as downcomer) and second it works as two electrodes for electrocoagulation process. Simulated wastewater contaminated with zinc ions was used to test the performance of this apparatus for zinc removal by studying the effect of different experimental variables such as initial concentration of zinc (50-800 ppm), electrical current density (2.67-21.4 mA/cm²), initial pH (3-11), air flowrate (12-50 LPH), and implicitly the electrocoagulation time. The results have shown the applicability of this split-plate airlift reactor as electrocoagulation cell in the treatment of wastewater such as wastewater containing Zink ions. The Zink removal percent was shown to increase upon increasing the current density and the electrolysis time. Also best removal percent was achieved in the initial pH range between 7 and 9. The minimum electrocoagulation time required for removal of ≥ 90% of Zn(II) decreases from 90 to 22 min when operating current density increases from 2.67 to 21.4 mA/cm².