Electrohydromodulating process for recovering nutrients, mineralizing organics, and inactivating pathogens in wastewater

A system for electrohydromodulation of wastewater, the system comprising:

• a first anodic chamber configured to receive a flow of wastewater;
• a first anode in contact with the first anodic chamber;
• a cathodic chamber configured to receive the flow of wastewater;
• a cathode in contact with the cathodic chamber;
• a first multivalent cation exchange membrane between the first anodic chamber and the cathodic chamber, wherein the multivalent cation exchange membrane allows multivalent cations to pass therethrough while preventing monovalent ions to pass therethrough;
• and a power source electrically coupled to the first anode and the cathode, wherein the power source is configured to apply a voltage across wastewater in the first anodic chamber and the cathodic chamber, to thereby cause multivalent cations in the wastewater to pass through the multivalent cation exchange membrane, wherein the system comprises a plurality of cells stacked between two securement plates, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises:
• the first anode;
• the cathode;
• the first multivalent cation exchange membrane;
• a first gasket sandwiched between the first anode and the first multivalent cation exchange membrane on a first side of the first multivalent cation exchange membrane, wherein the first gasket defines a first flow path and a second flow path, wherein the first flow path defines the first anodic chamber and wherein the second flow path defines a second anodic chamber that is separate from the first anodic chamber, wherein the first anode is in contact with both the first anodic chamber and the second anodic chamber, wherein the first flow path comprises a first inlet and a first outlet, and wherein the second flow path comprises a second inlet and a second outlet;
• and
• a second gasket sandwiched between the cathode and the first multivalent cation exchange membrane on a second side of the first multivalent cation exchange membrane that is opposite the first side, wherein the second gasket defines a third flow path, wherein the third flow path defines the cathodic chamber, and wherein the third flow path comprises a third inlet and a third outlet.

A method for electrohydromodulation of wastewater, the method comprising:

• providing a continuous flow of wastewater through a reactor that comprises a first anodic chamber, a second anodic chamber, a cathodic chamber, and a multivalent cation exchange member between the first anodic chamber and the cathodic chamber and between the second anodic chamber and the cathodic chamber, wherein at least one anode is in contact with the first and second anodic chambers, wherein a cathode is in contact with the cathodic chamber, wherein the multivalent cation exchange membrane is configured to allow multivalent cations to pass therethrough while preventing monovalent ions to pass therethrough, and wherein the continuous flow comprises a path from an exterior of the first anodic chamber to the first anodic chamber to the cathodic chamber to the second anodic chamber to an exterior of the second anodic chamber;
• stripping carbon dioxide from the wastewater in the first anodic chamber;
• after stripping the carbon dioxide from the wastewater in the first anodic chamber, applying a voltage between the first anode and the cathode and between the second anode and the cathode to decrease pH of wastewater in the first anodic chamber and the second anodic chamber and increase pH of wastewater in the cathodic chamber, to thereby cause precipitation of phosphates in the cathodic chamber;
• extracting the precipitated phosphates from the wastewater in the cathodic chamber;
• and
• extracting ammonia gas from the wastewater in the path between the cathodic chamber and the second anodic chamber.