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Electrochemical pilot-scale plant for oil field produced wastewater by M/C/Fe electrodes for injection.

Ma H, Wang B

Institute of Energy Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science of Shaanxi Province, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'An, China. wangbo@snnu.edu.cn

Oil field produced water by separated with crude oil were treated by an electrochemical process in laboratory pilot-scale plant, using double anodes with active metal (M) and graphite (C) and iron as cathode and a noble metal content catalyst with big surface. Due to the strong oxidizing potential of the chemicals produced (Cl(2), O(2), OCl(-), HO and so on), when the wastewater pass through the laboratory pilot-scale plant the organic pollutants including bacteria were oxidized and coagulated by produced M(n+) ion. It can be concluded that the catalytic electrochemical treatment of oil field produced wastewater is effective. Both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were reduced by over 90% in 6 min, suspense solids (SS) by 99%, Ca(2+) content by 22%, corrosion rate by 98% and bacteria (sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB), saprophytic bacteria (TGB) and iron bacteria) by 99% in 3 min under 15V/120A. These results indicate that this catalytic electrochemical method could be used for effective oil field wastewater treatment for injection purpose.

Published 26 April 2006 in J Hazard Mater, 132(2): 237-43.
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