In-situ determination of current density distribution and fluid modeling of an electrocoagulation process and its effects on natural organic matter removal for drinking water treatment

Electrocoagulation is a burgeoning technology now being considered for niche water treatment applications. Although much research has been conducted to determine the efficacy of electrocoagulation to remove various contaminants, the more fundamental electrochemical aspects of the technology are often overlooked. This research provides insight into the fundamental relationship of water flow, electrochemical metal dissolution and current density distribution through computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models, mathematical models and in-situ current density distribution identification experiments. Theoretically, it was determined that current distributed along the electrode was inversely proportional to the water flowrate. The turbulent flow through the EC reactor was simulated with varying inter-electrode gaps and flowrates, while the average velocity segments across the electrode surface was calculated, corresponding to the same segments used to experimentally determine the current distribution. Through the CFD models and current distribution determining technique, it was observed that current density was distributed unevenly and followed the trend predicted by theory. Areas of lower current density were generally accompanied by higher velocity flow. More uniform current was yielded with larger inter-electrode gaps, due to the greater flow uniformity. While operating with a 1 mm gap, the current and water velocity varied across the electrode by Δ27.6 mA/cm2 and Δ0.220 m/s, and was minimized to Δ3.6 mA/cm2 and Δ0.062 m/s at a 10 mm gap. Although current uniformity was increased, the overall current density decreased significantly due to the greater ohmic resistance associated with the larger gap. The removal of natural organic matter was reduced as much as 79% when the inter-electrode gap was reduced from 10 to 1 mm. [Display omitted] •Parametric analysis of an electrocoagulation reactor for water treatment.•In-situ technique for determining current density distribution is demonstrated.•CFD and theoretical models support experimental water flow and current distributions.•Localized water flow and electrode gap strongly effect metal dissolution uniformity.•Electrocoagulation reactor design considerations discussed for contaminant removal.