Electrolytic process and apparatus for purifying contaminated aqueous solutions and method for using same to remediate soil

A method for the electrolytic treatment or remediation of contaminated aqueous solutions contaminated with colloidal particles having a surface layer, comprising

• providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode chamber having cathode surfaces tilted from the vertical with positive charge centers,
• introducing the contaminated aqueous solution into the cathode chamber,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to bring about the electrolysis of water and the production of hydroxyl ions, which renders neutral colloidal particles electronegative in nature and negatively charged colloidal particles more electronegative in nature,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to form a cathode-solution interfacial zone adjacent the cathode including both negatively charged colloidal particles and positively charged ions,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to collapse the Gouy-Chapman layer about the negatively charged colloidal particles within the cathode-solution interfacial zone adjacent the cathode, wherein the surface layer of the colloidal particles is permanently altered within said cathode-solution interfacial zone and the colloidal particles are agglomerated by the action of the positive ions,
• further maintaining said potential to induce electrolysis to evolve hydrogen bubbles that move the colloidal particles in a steady state stream within the cathode-solution interfacial zone and allow the agglomerated colloidal particles to separate from said steady state stream,
• removing the agglomerated colloidal particles from the contaminated aqueous solution.

A method for the electrolytic treatment or remediation of contaminated aqueous solutions contaminated with colloidal particles having a surface layer, comprising

• providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode chamber having one or more cathode surfaces with positive charge centers, and an anode chamber, said cathode chamber and said anode chamber being adjacent and separated by a separation membrane of submicron porosity,
• introducing the contaminated aqueous solution into the cathode chamber,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to bring about the electrolysis of water and the production of hydroxyl ions, which renders neutral colloidal particles electronegative in nature and negatively charged colloidal particles more electronegative in nature,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to form a cathode-solution interfacial zone adjacent the cathode including both negatively charged colloidal particles and positively charged ions,
• maintaining a potential at the cathode to collapse the Gouy-Chapman layer about the negatively charged colloidal particles within the cathode-solution interfacial zone adjacent the cathode, wherein the surface layer of the negatively charged colloidal particles is permanently altered within said cathode-solution interfacial zone and the colloidal particles are agglomerated by the action of the positive ions,
• further maintaining the potential to bring about oxidation processes in said anode chamber, said separation membrane restricting osmotic reflux (from anode chamber to cathode chamber),
• removing the agglomerated colloidal particles from the contaminated aqueous solution.

A method for the electrolytic treatment or remediation of contaminated aqueous solutions employing an electrolytic treatment or remediation unit comprising

• introducing the contaminated aqueous solution into the cathode chamber of an electrolytic cell having
• a cathode chamber having cathode surfaces tilted from the vertical with positive charge centers and
• an anode chamber having an anode separated from the cathode chamber by
• a separation membrane of sub-micron porosity,
• applying a direct electrical potential across the cathode and anode of the electrolytic cell,
• flowing catholyte from the cathode chamber to a spent catholyte holding tank,
• flowing output from the spent catholyte holding tank to a filter chamber fluidly connected thereto, and
• flowing output from the filter chamber to an anode feed holding tank fluidly connected thereto.

An electrolytic treatment or remediation unit comprising

• an electrolytic cell having
• a cathode chamber having cathode surfaces tilted from the vertical with positive charge centers and
• an anode chamber having an anode separated from the cathode chamber by
• a separation membrane of sub-micron porosity,
• an electrical circuit for providing an electrical current through the electrolytic cell by applying a direct electrical potential across the cathode and anode of the electrolytic cell.

An electrolytic treatment or remediation unit comprising an electrolytic cell having

• a cathode chamber having cathode surfaces tilted from the vertical with positive charge centers and
• an anode chamber having an anode separated from the cathode chamber by
• a separation membrane of sub-micron porosity,
• an electrical circuit for providing an electrical current through the electrolytic cell by applying a direct electrical potential across the cathode and anode of the electrolytic cell,
• a spent catholyte holding tank fluidly connected to receive catholyte from the cathode chamber,
• a filter chamber fluidly connected downstream from the spent catholyte holding tank,
• an anode feed holding tank fluidly connected downstream from the filter chamber and
• a flow control valve to stabilize the flow from the anode feed holding tank to the anode chamber.