Electro Chlorination

Chlorination is disinfection of water through chlorine. Other methods for disinfecting water are UV systems, ozone generator and silver ionization. However these methods are not as popular as chlorination because they are expensive and have residual effects. Foe disinfecting water chlorine is used as chlorine gas, bleaching powder and hypochlorite solutions.

 

Electro chlorination is chlorination using electrolysis process. In this method saline seawater or brine solution is converted into hypochlorite solutions. When direct current is passed through the solution containing electrodes, electrolysis takes place. The reaction can be put forth as:

 

NaCL + H2O +Energy = NaOCL + H2

 

The hypochlorite solution is stored whereas produced hydrogen is mixed with air and blown out using blower fans. Initially electrochlorination was organized in batches but due to power shortage problems microprocessor based systems are used through which using smallest generation plant, it is possible tob generate chlorine on a continuous basis. As this system is pre programmed it needs little intervention from the operators. The need to add salt on a daily basis is also avoided. The most important aspect of this system is that even if the power is available for a few hours only chlorine can be generated for many hours.

 

Benefits of Electro Chlorination
As compared to conventional method of chlorination, Electrochlorination has following advantages: It reduces the hazard of chlorine gas leakage.
No dependency on external sources for supply of chlorine because chlorine can be produced onsite using common salt as a raw materials.
Pipe choking incidence is minimized to almost zero level.
Required area for is less as compared to the area utilized for the storage of chlorine cylinder. The life of electrochlorination plant is more as compared to the conventional chlorination plant maintenance and installation is easy and cost effective.

 

Maintenance
During electrolysis process, calcium carbonate and the magnesium hydroxide gets deposited on the cathode thereby causing scaling. This scaling can be removed by using diluted HCL. Apart from this disciplined and proper maintenance of electrodes is necessary to enhance the shelf life of the electrodes.

 

Due to the attached benefits electrochlorination is gaining wide popularity for disinfecting water. Though it is as effective as chlorine gas it does away with all the hazards associated with the use of the gas.

Tags:- Electrochlorination Systems, Electrochlorination Water Systems

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