Electrohydrodynamic Interaction of a Pair of Spherical Drops

The axisymmetric electrohydrodynamic interaction between two spherical emulsion drops has been examined, using the leaky dielectric model to represent the constitutive behavior of the liquid phases. The results follow from the general solutions in bispherical coordinates to the Laplace equation for the electric potential and the Stokes equations for the velocity field. For drops of similar composition, the electrical interactions induced between the drops by the imposition of the electric field are always attractive, meaning they favor coalescence of the drop pair. The hydrodynamic interactions, however, are not always favorable and, indeed, are shown in certain circumstances to drive the drops apart

Dielectrophoresis of charged colloidal suspensions

We present a theoretical study of dielectrophoretic (DEP) crossover spectrum of two polarizable particles under the action of a nonuniform AC electric field. For two approaching particles, the mutual polarization interaction yields a change in their respective dipole moments, and hence, in the DEP crossover spectrum. The induced polarization effects are captured by the multiple image method. Using spectral representation theory, an analytic expression for the DEP force is derived. We find that the mutual polarization effects can change the crossover frequency at which the DEP force changes sign. The results are found to be in agreement with recent experimental observation and as they go beyond the standard theory, they help to clarify the important question of the underlying polarization mechanisms

Laboratory and pilot testing of electrocoagulation for removing scaleforming species from industrial process waters

This study investigated the performance of electrocoagulation using iron and aluminum electrodes for removing silica, calcium and magnesium from cooling tower blowdown and reverse osmosis reject waters. Experiments were conducted at both the bench and pilot scales to determine the levels of target species removal as a function of the coagulant dose. At the bench scale, aluminum removed the target compounds from both cooling tower blowdown and reverse osmosis reject more efficiently than iron. A 2 mM aluminum dose removed 80 % of the silica and 20 to 40 % of the calcium and magnesium. The same iron dose removed only 60 % of the silica and 10 to 20 % of the calcium and magnesium. When operated with iron electrodes, pilot unit performance was comparable to that of the bench unit, which suggests that such systems can be scaled-up on the basis of coagulant dose. However, when operated with aluminum electrodes the pilot unit underperformed the bench unit due to fouling of the electrode surfaces after a few hours of operation. This result was completely unexpected based on the short-term experiments performed using the bench unit

Factors Affecting Hydroxide Ion Concentrations in Bipolar Membranes

The useful lifetime of bipolar ion exchange membranes is often limited by nucleophilic attack by hydroxide ions on the ionic groups and polymer backbone in the anion exchange layers (AELs). This is especially problematic in water treatment applications for making acid and base from salt solutions. This research investigated the effect of bulk electrolyte composition, current density, membrane thickness, ion exchange capacity, and bulk solution pH value on hydroxide ion concentrations inside the AELs of a bipolar membrane. Onedimensional Nernst-Plank equations were solved for the species Na+, Cl-, OH- and H+ within 20-100 μm thick anion and cation exchange layers with fixed charged densities ranging from 0.5-2.0 eq/L. In 1 M NaCl solutions at neutral pH values, hydroxide concentrations in the AEL reached as high as 2.2 M at a current density of 100 mA/cm2. In 1 M NaOH solutions, hydroxide ion concentrations reached as high as 3.77 M. Hydroxide concentrations in the AEL were significantly affected by the ratio of Cl- to hydroxide ions in the bulk electrolyte. Where hydroxide concentrations in the bulk electrolyte were an order of magnitude lower than chloride concentrations, membrane hydroxide concentrations were nearly proportional to the current density. Increases in ion exchange capacity and AEL thickness resulted in increased membrane hydroxide ion concentrations. Membrane concentrations of hydroxide ions can be minimized by operation at low current densities, with high background electrolyte concentrations using thin membranes with low ion exchange capacities and producing base concentrations less than 0.1 M. © 2021 Amirkabir University of Technology - Membrane Processes Research Laboratory. All rights reserved.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Water splitting promoted by electronically conducting interlayer material in bipolar membranes

Bipolar membranes are used in a variety of industrial applications to split water into hydronium and hydroxide ions. This research investigated the hypothesis that an electronically conducting material between the anion and cation exchange membranes can increase the rate of water splitting by increasing the electric field intensity in the mobile ion depleted region. Bipolar membranes were constructed with electronically conducting (graphene and carbon nanotubes) and electronically insulating (graphene oxide) interlayer materials of varying thickness. All three interlayer materials decreased the voltage required for water splitting compared to a bipolar membrane with no interlayer material. Quantum chemistry simulations were used to determine the catalytic effect of proton accepting and proton releasing sites on the three interlayer materials. Neither graphene nor carbon nanotubes had catalytic sites for water splitting. Thicker layers of graphene oxide resulted in decreased rates of water splitting at each applied potential. This effect can be attributed to a diminished electric field in the mobile ion depleted region with increasing catalyst layer thickness. In contrast, membrane performance with the electronically conducting graphene and carbon nanotube interlayers was independent of the interlayer thickness. An electrostatic model was used to show that interlayer electronic conductance can increase the electric field intensity in the mobile ion depleted region as compared to an electronically insulating material. Thus, including electronically conducting material in addition to a traditional catalyst may be a viable strategy for improving the performance of bipolar membranes.National Science Foundation Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET) Division [1604857]; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT), MexicoConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT) [409178]12 month embargo; published online: 6 November 2019This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Understanding Chlorite and Chlorate Formation Associated with Hypochlorite Generation at Boron Doped Diamond Film Anodes

This research investigated reaction pathways for formation of chlorite and chlorate when using boron doped diamond (BDD) film anodes for generating hypochlorite. Batch electrolysis and voltammetry experiments were performed to investigate the rates and potential dependency of hypochlorite and chlorite oxidation. Density functional theory (DFT) modeling was used to investigate possible reaction pathways. The DFT simulations included reactions with hydrogen terminated surfaces, and with surface sites produced by anodic polarization, namely: ≡C•, =C•H, ≡C–O• and =C•HO. Oxychlorine radicals (ClO•, ClO2 •) were found to chemically adsorb to both secondary and tertiary carbon atoms on the BDD surface. These chemisorbed intermediates could react with hydroxyl radicals to regenerate the original chlorine oxyanion (ClO− or ClO2 −), and produce ≡C–O• and =C•HO sites on the BDD surface. The ≡C–O• and =C•HO sites also reacted with oxychlorine radicals to form chemisorbed intermediates, which could then be converted to higher oxidation states (ClO2 −, ClO3 −) via reaction with hydroxyl radicals. The predominant pathway for chlorite and chlorate production appears to involve oxidation of HOCl or HClO2 via direct electron transfer, followed by reaction of ClO• or ClO2 • with a hydroxyl radical