The Use of Electrocoagulation Process for Removal of Turbidity, COD, Detergent and Phosphorus from Carwash Effluent

This study evaluated the efficiency of Electrical coagulation process in removal of COD, turbidity, detergent and phosphate from carwash effluent. An experimental study in laboratory scale was carried out and a glass tank with volume of 3 liters (effective volume of 2 liters) containing 4 electrode-page iron and aluminum (AL-AL, AL-Fe, Fe-Fe) were used. Electrodes were connected to a power supply with using bipolar method to convert alternative electricity to direct current. Daily samples were collected from different carwash effluents. Initial pH of samples were reported between 7 to 9.At first different tests were performed on primary samples. Percentage of removal was calculated in range pH and electrical potential of 11, 7, 3 and 30, 20, 10 volts respectively. Reaction times were set 90, 60, 30 minutes with middle intervals of 2 cm. The results showed the efficiency of COD removal in the optimum range of pH=3, voltage of 30 and retention time of 90 minutes with iron electrode was more 93% also the capacity of detergent removal for this process in optimum pH of 7, voltage of 30 retention time of 90 minutes with iron electrode was 94%. The highest phosphate and turbidity removal efficiency in pH of 7 after 90 minutes retention time, voltage of 30, with aluminum electrode reached more than 99%. According to the results obtained electrical energy consumption in aluminum electrodes was less than others. However aluminum is more expensive than iron and the difference in energy consumption between iron and aluminum can be ingnored. Apart from that COD and detergent removal efficiency of iron electrodes is higher than aluminum electrodes therefore, using iron as the electrode is more economical and recommended. Altogether it was found that this method can be use as a safe and convenient method for treating carwash effluent and according to the high removal efficiency of process, effluent can be discharged safely into the environment.