ARSENIC REMOVAL BY ELECTROCOAGULATION USING A PISTON FLOW REACTOR AND COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS INCLUDING IMPROVED FLOCCULATION, SEDIMENTATION AND FILTRATION.

摘要

The present invention comprises the design of a continuous flow electrocoagulation reactor and complementary treatments for removing arsenic from water. The reactor produces iron cations by the dissolution of sacrificial anodes, the same being piston flow operated and of hydraulic mixture. The coagulating ion is directly produced in the water to be treated and used as a coagulant. The reactor is a rectangular prism, where the inner portion thereof is divided by deflecting screens for performing a horizontal flow therethrough. Said screens may also act as electrodes and are formed by carbon steel. The design of the reactor considers the design of the reactor, the configuration of the electrodes and the space therebetween in order to obtain an optimum hydraulic, electrochemical and physicochemical performance, unlike most of the reactors currently available on the market. The operational conditions are also included, the same guarantying a high efficiency in removing arsenic and the pro duced coagulating ion. The present invention further comprises flocculation, sedimentation and filtration stages required for the bind of the particles produced in the reactor along with the arsenic and the separation thereof from water.