Cross-stacked super-aligned carbon nanotube/activated carbon composite electrodes for efficient water purification via capacitive deionization enhanced ultrafiltration

• A high-performance electrode was prepared with super-aligned carbon nanotubes. • SACNT/AC electrode achieved a ~100% increase in desalination capacity and rate. • SACNT/AC electrode achieved a ~26% increase in charge efficiency. • CUF process with SACNT/AC achieved an up to 2.43-fold fouling reduction. • SACNT/AC imparts overall improved water purification efficiency. The practical application of the capacitive deionization (CDI) enhanced ultrafiltration (CUF) technology is hampered due to low performance of electrodes. The current study demonstrated a novel super-aligned carbon nanotube (SACNT)/activated carbon (AC) composite electrode, which was prepared through coating AC on a cross-stacked SACNT film. The desalination capability and water purification performance of the prepared electrode were systematically investigated at different applied voltages (0.8–1.2 V) with a CDI system and a CUF system, respectively. In the CDI tests, as compared with the control AC electrode, the SACNT/AC electrode achieved an approximately 100% increase in both maximum salt adsorption capacity and average salt adsorption rate under all the applied voltage conditions, demonstrating a superior desalination capability. Meanwhile, a conspicuous increase by an average of ~26% in charge efficiency was also achieved at all the voltages. In the CUF tests, as compared with the control run at 0 V, the treatment runs at 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 V achieved a 2.40-fold, 2.08-fold, and 2.43-fold reduction in membrane fouling (calculated according to the final transmembrane pressure (TMP) data at the end of every purification stage), respectively. The average TMP increasing rates at 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 V were also roughly two times smaller than that at 0 V, indicating a dramatical reduction of membrane fouling. The SACNT/AC electrode also maintained its superior desalination capability in the CUF process, resulting in an overall improved water purification efficiency.     

Performance of activated carbon coated graphite bipolar electrodes on capacitive deionization method for salinity reduction

• Graphite bipolar electrodes act as an appropriate bed for the CDI process. • Activated carbon Coating improves the application of the electrodes. • CDI is an environmentally friendly method to apply for brackish water. • Initial concentration is the most important parameter in the CDI method. • CDI process in a batch-mode setup needs more development. This research investigates a capacitive deionization method for salinity reduction in a batch reactor as a new approach for desalination. Reductions of cost and energy compared with conventional desalination methods are the significant advantages of this approach. In this research, experiments were performed with a pair of graphite bipolar electrodes that were coated with a one-gram activated carbon solution. After completing preliminary tests, the impacts of four parameters on electrical conductivity reduction, including (1) the initial concentration of feed solution, (2) the duration of the tests, (3) the applied voltage, and (4) the pH of the solution, were examined. The results show that the maximum efficiency of electrical conductivity reduction in this laboratory-scale reactor is about 55%. Furthermore, the effects of the initial concentration of feed solution are more significant than the other parameters. Thus, using the capacitive deionization method for water desalination with low and moderate salt concentrations (i.e., brackish water) is proposed as an affordable method. Compared with conventional desalination methods, capacitive deionization is not only more efficient but also potentially more environmentally friendly.     

Ion-exchange polymers modified bacterial cellulose electrodes for the selective removal of nitrite ions from tail water of dyeing wastewater

Ion-exchange polymer and modified carbonization bacterial cellulose(CBC) electrodes were fabricated using varying amounts of cation-exchange polymers(glutaric acid(GA) and sulfosuccinic acid(SSA)) and assembled within an asymmetric capacitive deionization unit(p-CDI).The performance of selective NO_2~-electro-adsorption was studied.The AC/CBCSSA group showed a better salt adsorption capacity(14.56 mg/g) and nitrite removal efficiency(71.01%) than the AC/CBC-GA(10.72 mg/g,47.83%) and AC/AC(4.81 mg/g,12.74%)groups.It was confirmed that the CBC-SSA/GA electrodes enhanced nitrite selectivity and increased the adsorption capacity,and the total amounts of adsorbed anions increased when the applied voltage was increased from 0.8 to 1.2 V,while the molar fraction of nitrate decreased.The competitive and preferential adsorption of anions was further investigated using different binary solutions of anions and occurred in the following sequence:NO_2~- SO_4~(2-) NO_3~- F~-≈Cl~-.Furthermore,the p-CDI units were applied to remove nitrite in real wastewater samples,and the results showed that they had excellent reusability and application for use in dyeing wastewater treatment.     

利用活性碳毡构建流通式电容去离子器件及其电容脱盐性能研究

采用活性碳毡(ACF)作为电吸附材料,构建流通式(Flow-through)电容去离子(CDI)装置,以模拟盐水为对象,考察了电压、通量、进水初始浓度及盐离子种类等条件对ACF电吸附容量的影响,并与平板式(Flow-by)电容去离子装置对比.结果表明,在流通式运行模式下,ACF电吸附容量随着电压、进水盐浓度的增大而增大,吸盐量最终会达到极值(最大吸附量).ACF电吸附容量会随着进水通量的增大先增大后减小.在电压1.2 V、通量0.053 m L·min~(-1)·cm~(-2)、进水初始浓度1000 mg·L~(-1)的条件下,流通式CDI中ACF对硫酸钠的电吸附容量达到7.73 mg·g~(-1),而平板式CDI中ACF电吸附容量为5.42 mg·g~(-1).此外,还考察了在不同盐离子类型条件下的流通式CDI脱盐效果,结果表明,ACF电极对阳离子电吸附强弱顺序依次为K~+Na~+Ca~(2+),对阴离子电吸附强弱顺序为Cl~-NO_3~-SO_4~(2-).流通式CDI装置在12个周期内脱盐效果并无明显衰减,表明CDI具有较好的稳定性.     

Emerging electrochemical processes for materials recovery from wastewater: Mechanisms and prospects

• Mechanisms for selective recovery of materials in electrochemical processes are discussed. • Wastewaters that contain recoverable materials are reviewed. • Application prospects are discussed from both technical and non-technical aspects. Recovering valuable materials from waste streams is critical to the transition to a circular economy with reduced environmental damages caused by resource extraction activities. Municipal and industrial wastewaters contain a variety of materials, such as nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), lithium, and rare earth elements, which can be recovered as value-added products. Owing to their modularity, convenient operation and control, and the non-requirement of chemical dosage, electrochemical technologies offer a great promise for resource recovery in small-scale, decentralized systems. Here, we review three emerging electrochemical technologies for materials recovery applications: electrosorption based on carbonaceous and intercalation electrodes, electrochemical redox processes, and electrochemically induced precipitation. We highlight the mechanisms for achieving selective materials recovery in these processes. We also present an overview of the advantages and limitations of these technologies, as well as the key challenges that need to be overcome for their deployment in real-world systems to achieve cost-effective and sustainable materials recovery.     

电容式湿度传感器温-湿-盐雾耦合环境损伤效应与机理研究

目的 研究电容式湿度传感器在温-湿-盐雾耦合环境作用下的性能退化规律和失效机理。方法 将电容式湿度传感器放置在三因素循环(85 ℃+85%RH→40 ℃+0.05%NaCl中性盐雾→35 ℃+50%RH干燥)环境下进行加速老化试验,定期取样,分析响应时间和测量精度退化规律,研究温-湿-盐雾对电容式湿度传感器的环境损伤机制。结果 在三因素环境下老化7 d,湿度传感器在标准湿度(>50%RH)环境下感应异常;老化14 d,湿度传感器在每种标准湿度环境下感应异常。测试发现,湿敏电容的电容量偏大,绝缘电阻偏小,损耗角正切偏大,确定湿敏电容失效。湿度传感器在温-湿-盐雾环境下,在盐雾阶段,盐粒子沉积在湿敏材料表面,在干燥阶段水分挥发,最终在湿敏材料表面形成不规整颗粒物,造成湿敏电容绝缘性能降低。在通电测试时,不规整颗粒物在电场作用下易发生尖端发电,使得感湿材料绝缘性能下降,同时伴随有腐蚀和击穿烧蚀,使湿敏电容发生失效。结论 湿度传感器在温-湿-盐雾环境下,盐粒子易附着在感湿材料上,在通电环境下发生击穿烧蚀,造成湿度传感器功能失效。     

Investigation of adsorption/desorption behavior of Cr(VI) at the presence of inorganic and organic substance in membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI)

The adsorption and desorption behavior of Cr(VI) in membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) was investigated systematically in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and KCl with different concentrations, respectively. Results revealed that Cr(VI) absorption was enhanced and the adsorption amount for Cr(VI) increased from 155.7 to 190.8?mg/g when KCl concentration increased from 100 to 200?mg/L in the adsorption process, which was attributed to the stronger driving force. However, the adsorption amount sharply decreased to 90.2?mg/g when KCl concentration reached up to 1000?mg/L suggesting the negative effect for Cr(VI) removal that high KCl concentration had. As for the effect of BSA on ion adsorption, the amount for Cr (VI) significantly declined to 78.3?mg/g and pH was found to be an important factor contributing to this significant reduction. Then, the desorption performance was also conducted and it was obtained that the presence of KCl had negligible effect on Cr(VI) desorption, while promoted by the addition of BSA. The incomplete desorption was obtained and the residual chromium ions onto the electrode after desorption was detected via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Based on above analysis, the enhanced removal mechanism for Cr(VI) in MCDI was found to be consisted of ion adsorption onto electrode surface, the redox reaction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III) and precipitation, which was demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).     

基于电容成像检测技术的带防腐层金属结构缺陷检测

目的同时检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷。方法应用电容成像检测技术同时检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷,理论分析防腐层下金属表面减薄缺陷、防腐层下金属表面坑状缺陷和防腐层缺陷对电场线的扰动变化规律,仿真分析这三种缺陷对电势线的扰动变化规律,提出电容成像检测技术用于检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷的可行性,并搭建电容成像检测系统,利用检测系统检测2 mm和4 mm防腐层下金属表面减薄1 mm和2 mm缺陷、金属表面坑状缺陷、2 mm防腐层下金属结构(防腐层含有通孔缺陷)。结果理论分析和仿真分析显示,电容成像检测技术具有检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷的可行性。试验结果表明,电容成像系统能检测2 mm和4 mm防腐层下金属表面减薄1 mm和2 mm缺陷、金属表面坑状缺陷、2 mm防腐层下金属结构(防腐层含有通孔缺陷)。除此之外,在防腐层下金属表面缺陷处的检测结果值呈现上升的趋势,在防腐层缺陷处的检测结果呈现下降的趋势,据此规律可以区分防腐层下金属表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷。结论电容成像检测技术能检测防腐层下金属结构表面减薄缺陷和坑状缺陷,还能同时检测防腐层本身存在的缺陷。根据检测在防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷所呈现的不同结果,可用于区分这两类缺陷,有利于为油气储运设施缺陷维修制定合理的方案。     

特殊环境条件下开断空载线路电弧试验研究

带电作业断开空载电缆线路时,会产生电弧,危及人身和财产安全。研究的目的是通过模拟带电操作空载电缆线路时的速度,断开距离和容性电流,考虑在特殊环境条件下,分别断开0.1 A、0.2 A、0.3 A、0.4 A的电容电流时的燃弧情况。     

不同烟气含湿量测量方法比较与分析

探讨准确测量烟气含湿量的方法,采用干湿球法、重量法、阻容法、激光法同步比对测量典型温湿度污染源烟气的含湿量,通过监测结果分析,提出了不同测量方法在实际烟气测量中的准确性和适用性,为准确、规范测定烟气含湿量提供技术依据。