RESULTS OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENTOF HYDROTHERMAL SEPARATE AT THE MUTNOVSKOE HYDROTHERMAL FIELD(KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA)

摘要

We have studied silica precipitation from thehydrothermal solution by electrochemical coagulationmethod in the laboratory and Mutnovskoe fieldconditions. Coagulant was added to the solution fromthe dissoluble metal electrodes (steel, copper,aluminium) under passing direct electric current. Wefound treatment with aluminium electrodes to be themost effective. In these experiments silica andaluminium concentration in solution, solution pHwere determined and electrodes voltage wasrecorded. Settling rates of the coagulated silica flakesand the time of solution clarification were alsomeasured. Current strength, solution temperature anddistance between the electrodes plates were changedin experiments. The theoretical functions expressingthe dependence of silica concentration in solution ontreatment duration and the quantity of electric energyconsumed during the treatment were found. The rateof aluminium electrodes dissolving and amount ofcoagulant used for treatment were calculated. Withthe help of X-Ray analysis it was obtained theamorphous structure of material precipitated by theelectric treatment. On the base of the experimentaldata we evaluated the parameters of pilotelectrocoagulator necessary for treatment of 1 kg/s ofhydrothermal separate flow.