Hydrodynamic and electrochemical assessment of a compact continuous-flow electrocoagulation reactor for decentralized household wastewater treatment
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Compact continuous-flow electrocoagulation (EC) was evaluated for decentralized household wastewater treatment by integrating treatment experiments, residence-time-distribution (RTD) analysis, three-dimensional CFD, and electrical-energy assessment. The 3.0-L reactor employed four aluminum anodes and five stainless-steel cathodes in a monopolar-parallel arrangement with 15-mm spacing. Over nominal HRTs of 9–18 min, RTD indicated predominantly convective transport with finite axial dispersion, while single-phase CFD showed localized recirculation around the electrode array. Across the experimental series, COD removal reached 75–88%, turbidity removal exceeded 90%, TSS removal reached approximately 85–90%, and MBAS removal reached 84%. Separate series identified favorable ranges of 20–30 mA cm⁻² and 15–18 min. A paired confirmatory experiment at 15 min directly compared 20 and 25 mA cm⁻²; pollutant-removal gains at 25 mA cm⁻² were modest, whereas supply-reported specific electrical energy increased from 1.045 ± 0.031 to 1.431 ± 0.018 kWh m⁻³. Thus, 20 mA cm⁻² at 15 min provided the more favorable treatment–electrical-input compromise among the two tested combinations. Faradaic aluminum doses remained theoretical, and residual aluminum, microbiological quality, and long-term robustness were not verified. The result does not establish a global optimum or reuse-ready effluent.
Source: Desalination and Water Treatment
Institution: University of Economics - Technology for Industries
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,000
OpenAlex ID: W7223213249