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Water desalting by means of electrochemical parametric pumping. II. Separation properties of a multistage column

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Abstract

Multistage electrochemical parametric pumping has been successfully carried out for water desalination. Separation was effected by electroadsorption-desorption cycles of the ions into and from the electrical double layer of high surface carbon electrodes. At steady state and total reflux, the concentration ratio between the upper and lower heads of the electrochemical column was as high as 150.

Two models for the build up of the concentration profile within the column are presented. The first is based on a solution of the two-phase mass transport equation using the proper boundary and initial conditions. The second treatment is based on the mixed cells assumptions. In both treatments, interphase equilibrium is assumed using the isopotentiograms as the specific equilibrium curves. Use is also made of a fast computer for the simulation of the electrochemical paramatric pumping cycles. The two models are in good agreement with the experimental results particularly in the cases where the initial concentration is high and interphase equilibrium is maintained.

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Abbreviations

B 0,B 1 :

linearization coefficients for the initial concentration distribution

ΔC f :

concentration change in the solution after charge and discharge steps (mol cm−3)

C f,C s :

concentrations at the fluid and solid phases respectively (mol cm−3)

C fi ,C si :

concentrations at the fluid and solid phases respectively in mixed celli (mol cm−3)

C T,C B :

solution concentrations at the top and bottom heads respectively (mol cm−3)

C 0 K :

initial concentration of the solution in mixed cellK (mol cm−3)

C e :

complete cell electrical capacitance (μF g−1)

D :

dispersion coefficient (cm2 s−1)

d :

length of a single mixed cell (cm)

E 1,E 2 :

electrical potential of electrode 1 and 2 respectively versus a reference electrode (V)

ΔE 1, ΔE 2 :

potential drop across the column during charge and discharge steps respectively (V)

I :

charging and discharging current (A)

i :

number of mixed cell (i=1...N)

L :

column length

l :

dimensionless length coordinate

N :

total number of mixed cells

P :

Peclet number

Q :

solution flow rate (cm3 s−1)

q e :

complete cell charge (C g−1)

s :

Laplace transform parameter

t, T :

dimensional and dimensionless time coordinates respectively

ΔR T, ΔR B :

relative concentration charge at the top and bottom respectively

ΔR ss :

relative concentration change at steady state

(ΔR ss)lim :

relative limiting concentration change at steady state

ΔV F, ΔV B :

volume displaced during forwards and backwards flow steps respectively (cm3)

V 0 :

free volume in the column (cm3)

V r :

the ratio of fluid specific volumeV f to bed specific volumeV s

U :

linear axial flow velocity of solution (cm s−1)

z :

dimensional length coordinate

σ :

volume displaced during product withdrawal step (cm3)

φ :

phase shift between flow and charge or discharge steps

ω :

frequency of variations of solution flow and electric current

τ r :

residence time in a mixed cell

τ D :

response time for dispersion process in a mixed cell

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Research Centre-Negev, POB 9001, 84190, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Y. Oren & A. Soffer

Authors
  1. Y. Oren
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  2. A. Soffer
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Oren, Y., Soffer, A. Water desalting by means of electrochemical parametric pumping. II. Separation properties of a multistage column. J Appl Electrochem 13, 489–505 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617523

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617523

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