Mathematical Modelling for Predicting Pollutant Removal Efficiencies of an Electrolysis System

Abstract

Electrolysis systems have been widely investigated for treating wastewater in laboratory-scale experiments, and most researchers reported efficient treatment outcomes. However, industrial scale implementation often necessitates assessing and prioritising various options involving different combinations of input parameters, which often requires mathematical models. This study presents mathematical models for predicting removal efficiencies of four different pollutants using electrolysis. Parametric equations were developed based on experimental results conducted in a previous study. Proposed equations are dependent on treatment retention time and current intensity (voltage). Results revealed that the experimental data followed consistent patterns, which lead to the derivations of generalised equations which were able to closely predict pollutants’ removal efficiencies obtained through experimental measurement. The developed equations also confirmed that beyond an optimum voltage, a further increase in voltage does not render higher removals of the pollutants, which is essential for enhancing the feasibility of industrial scale applications. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.