Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Practical-scale on-site H2O2 production with a divided continuous-flow electrochemical reactor: performance
Lingyun Xue1, Fangjie Lv1, Yu Yao1
1Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Intelligent Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Carbon-Pollution Co-control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, PR China.
This study presents a scalable electrochemical reactor for on-site hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, achieving high efficiency for decentralized water treatment. The system demonstrates cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits for real-world applications.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
Background:
- Decentralized water treatment requires efficient on-site production of chemicals like hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).
- Previous electrochemical H₂O₂ production methods faced scale-up challenges and design limitations.
- Two-electron oxygen reduction is a key electrochemical process for H₂O₂ generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate a divided continuous-flow electrochemical reactor for practical-scale on-site H₂O₂ production.
- To evaluate the performance of a scaled-up divided reactor compared to its undivided counterpart.
- To assess the economic viability and environmental impact of the developed system for wastewater treatment.
Main Methods:
- Design and operation of a scaled-up divided continuous-flow electrochemical reactor with a gas diffusion electrode (187.5 cm²).
- Optimization of operational parameters including current density, air flow rate, electrolyte concentration, and flow rate.
- Testing the reactor's performance with various water constituents and long-term stability tests using tap water.
Main Results:
- The scaled-up divided reactor achieved a H₂O₂ production of 1678.15 mg/L with 86.04% current efficiency and 9.41 kWh/kg energy consumption.
- Metallic cations significantly inhibited H₂O₂ production, while organic matters had negligible effects.
- Stable H₂O₂ production (>100 hours) was maintained in tap water with >76% current efficiency, at an estimated cost of 9.35 ¥/kg.
Conclusions:
- The divided continuous-flow electrochemical reactor is a viable technology for practical-scale, on-site H₂O₂ production.
- The system offers an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for decentralized water treatment applications.
- Integration with UV reactors demonstrated effective COD removal from secondary wastewater, with a treatment cost of 5.91 ¥/m³.
