Membrane Electrolyzer for Saline Wastewater Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods are ineffective in purifying saline wastewater and have limited capability in removing radioactive and heavy metals from both fresh and saline water sources, as they primarily focus on fresh water and do not achieve significant efficacy in binding ions into stable complex compounds.
Innovation Solution
The method involves electrolysis of wastewater using a membrane-separated electrolyzer with direct current, followed by the addition of hydrogen peroxide and an aluminum-, titanium-, and oxygen-based sorbent to form stable complex compounds, which are then filtered and cemented for final deposition, utilizing kieselgur and the sorbent as a precoat filter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional filtration through aluminum oxide is used, then fresh water can be purified, but the method is ineffective for saline wastewater and has low efficacy for radioactive contaminations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the treatment system by introducing electrolysis to alter pH levels, which transforms the chemical environment to enable effective binding of radioactive and heavy metal ions across different water types (fresh, combined, and saline wastewater), thereby resolving the limitation of conventional methods that only work for fresh water
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining multiple substances: aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and oxygen-based active substances in specific ratios. This composite sorbent material enhances the overall purification efficacy and adaptability to handle both fresh and saline wastewater effectively
2Reliability
If electrolysis is applied to lower pH in one chamber and increase pH in another, then metal ions can be bound into stable complex compounds, but the process requires membrane separation and direct current supply
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolyzer is divided into separate chambers with a membrane separator, allowing independent pH control in each chamber. This segmentation enables simultaneous creation of acidic and basic environments needed for effective complex compound formation while maintaining a manageable device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane acts as an intermediary that separates the two electrolysis chambers while allowing selective ion passage. This intermediary component enables the pH differential needed for complex compound formation without requiring direct contact between the acidic and basic solutions, simplifying the overall system design
3Reliability
If sorbent is added to bind metal ions, then purification efficacy improves, but the sorbent must be filtered off after use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous materials (aluminum oxide and titanium oxide) as the active substance that provide high surface area for ion binding. The porous structure enables effective metal ion adsorption while the material properties facilitate subsequent filtration, reducing the time penalty associated with removing the spent sorbent
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively binds and retains radioactive and heavy metal ions in stable complex compounds, reducing their mobility and allowing for long-term deposition, while also purifying water across varying salinity levels from fresh to sea water.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane that has low throughput capacity for water, but is permeable for ions of metals
Implementation Method 2
A direct current is supplied to the electrodes of the electrolyzer. The water electrolysis occurs until lowering the water pH in one chamber and increasing the water pH in another chamber
Implementation Method 3
ions of radioactive and heavy metals, which are bound into stable complex compounds, are adsorbed by the aluminium-, titanium- and oxygen-based active substance (sorbent)
Implementation Method 4
with addition of the hydrogen peroxide
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to environment management, particularly to methods for purifying a wastewater in order to eliminate a toxic impact of heavy and radioactive metals. A method for purifying fresh, combined and saline wastewater from radioactive and heavy metals using an electrolysis and a special active substance (sorbent), wherein the wastewater is fed to an electrolyzer with a chamber that is separated by a special membrane that is permeable for ions of metals separately of water, then changes of the pH occur in order to form complex compounds, which comprise ions of radioactive and heavy metals. Afterwards, the adsorption of the obtained 0 compounds by the special active substance (sorbent) and filtering-off on a precoat filter that retains ions of heavy and radioactive metals are performed. The obtained filtrate is cemented without drying and evaporation in order to perform final deposition of the radioactive 0 compounds.