Wastes Treatment: Hydrothermal electrolytic oxidation of wastewater

Abstract

Electrochemical evolution of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas and chlorine at the electrodes is the usual reaction in conventional electrolysis of aqueous salt solution. However, here we demonstrate that the electrolysis governing reaction in hydrothermal solutions is different from the electrolysis performed at atmospheric pressure and temperatures up to 100°C. Experimental electrolytic reaction of aqueous salt solution carried out inside a sealed 300-mL batch autoclave showed that; accumulation of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas and chlorine is highly suppressed under hydrothermal (250°C and 7 MPa) conditions. We have also observed that, when organics are present in the aqueous salt solution being hydrothermally electrolyzed, an effective oxidation of organics is accomplished. Furthermore, for hydrothermal electrolytic oxidation (HEO) with oxygen gas added, experimentally observed TOC removal profile demonstrates apparent anodic oxidation electrical current efficiency of almost 200% for highconcentrated acetic acid solutions.