Electrooxidation devices

The technology is essentially aimed at tertiary industrial applications, i.e. stages of refinement of already pre-treated wastewater in which the further removal of specific pollutants, or emerging pollutants, which otherwise cannot be eliminated such as antibiotics, benzodiazepines, pesticides, refractory COD and colour, is required. The technology is based on the combination of an electric field in the presence of a cathode made up of a series of lamellar electrodes and an anode made up of an absorbent media of a particular patented material called Nyex. The latter is a derivative of activated carbon in non-porous form, with excellent conductive properties which constitutes the anode cells. This special material has a rapid absorption capacity combined with a simultaneous electrochemical regeneration capacity that reaches 100% efficiency. The applied electric field causes the electrochemical oxidation of the pollutants absorbed on the surface of the absorbent material, which is thus continuously regenerated during the process.

Pilot plants

Given the large variety of macromolecules composing the recalcitrant COD of an industrial waste, it is very often necessary to conduct a pilot field test to determine the electrical costs associated with the chemical electrooxidation reaction (kWh/kgCOD removed) and determine the investment budget for the real-scale solution.

To carry out this phase it is possible to adopt different pilot plant solutions created according to the customer’s needs. The simplest is represented by a pre-fabricated stand-alone unit built on a skid, in which the electrooxidation module is located inside a fiberglass tank and connected to the power generator located externally and controlled by the electrical control panel . The wastewater to be treated is sent to the system using an adjustable flow pump and is percolated from the top to the bottom of the prefabricated building where it is collected and sent for discharge by gravity through appropriate drainage pipes.

The electrooxidation reaction generates volatile compounds such as CO2 and O2, therefore the system will be equipped with a lid and both natural and forced ventilation pipes capable of extracting the gases generated and removing them from inside the system.

Main features:

• Perfectly transportable, mounted on skids or in containers
• Completely pre-assembled in workshops and can be placed outdoors
• Suitable for field tests of short or long-term industrial wastewater
• Treatable flow rates that vary depending on the characteristics of the wastewater from 0.5 to 4 m3/h