PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROCOAGULATIVE TREATMENT OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER

摘要

A process for the treatment of industrial waste water using electrocoagulation to effect separation of contaminants, which may include heavy metals, dyes, oils, fats, solvents, and salts. The process comprises passing waste water containing contaminants susceptible to electrocoagulation between pairs of electrodes within a reactor cell, energizing the electrodes with direct current, thereby breaking down and chemically altering contaminants in the electrolyzed water to form a sedimentable flocculate therein; and separating the flocculate from cleaned water. The invention also anticipates an apparatus for treating waste water which comprises: an electrocoagulation reactor cell having spaced-apart electrodes energized by direct current, a pump for passing industrial waste water through the reactor and between the electrodes, a de-foam tank, a mechanical clarifier, and a recessed-plate filter press.