Technical Papers
Aug 18, 2014

Enhanced Electrolytic Removal of Ammonia from the Aqueous Phase with a Zeolite-Packed Electrolysis Reactor under a Continuous Mode

Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 2

Abstract

This research investigated the mechanism and effect of influencing factors for aqueous ammonia removal by electrolysis in continuous mode with a zeolite-packed electrolysis reactor. Under the conditions of 30-min hydraulic retention time (HRT), 1.8-A current, and 300-mg/L chloride ion concentration, the ammonia concentration decreased from 25 to 0.3mgN/L within 1.5 h electrolysis time. A total of 4.4mgN/L nitrate, 0.03mgN/L nitrite, and 0.30.8mgN/L chloramines were detected in effluent, which accounted for 76% removal of total nitrogen from the aqueous phase. Moreover, the ammonia-presaturated zeolite was almost completely regenerated during the same time period. HRT, current, and chloride ion concentration were found to have a significant effect on ammonia removal as well as zeolite regeneration. Whereas other conditions were fixed, a minimum of 10-min HRT, 1.0-A current, and 210-mg/L chloride ion concentration were required to keep the effluent ammonia concentration below 1mgN/L. For the treatment of municipal wastewater, minimum HRTs of 7.5, 11, and 21 min were suggested for initial ammonia concentrations of 13.5, 30.2, and 53.5mgN/L under the conditions of 300-mg/L chloride and 1.8-A current.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51208299), Science & Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 11JC1408700), and the Chen Guang project supported by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation (No. 11CG52) for funding support.

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Published In

Go to Journal of Environmental Engineering
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 141Issue 2February 2015

History

Received: Aug 27, 2013
Accepted: Jul 17, 2014
Published online: Aug 18, 2014
Discussion open until: Jan 18, 2015
Published in print: Feb 1, 2015

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Authors

Affiliations

Liang Li
Associate Professor, School of Environment and Architecture, Univ. of Shanghai for Science and Technology, No. 516, Jungong Rd., Shanghai 200093, China.
Cuihong Song
Master Student, School of Environment and Architecture, Univ. of Shanghai for Science and Technology, No. 516, Jungong Rd., Shanghai 200093, China.
Yuanxing Huang [email protected]
Assistant Professor, School of Environment and Architecture, Univ. of Shanghai for Science and Technology, No. 516, Jungong Rd., Shanghai 200093, China (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]
Yuemei Zhou
Master Student, School of Environment and Architecture, Univ. of Shanghai for Science and Technology, No. 516, Jungong Rd., Shanghai 200093, China.

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