ABSTRACT
In this study, the aeration-assisted electrochemical reactor with two-dimensional plate electrodes was employed to soften the simulated circulating cooling water. Results show that microporous aeration could accelerate the mass transfer process of scaling ions, making the precipitation rate rise and the energy consumption decrease. A high precipitation rate of 55g·m−2·h−1 is obtained at the current density of 100A·m−2 and the flow rate of 1.2L·min−1. Commonly used as scale inhibitor, ATMP has little impact on the precipitation rate, only a decline of 14% is observed at the concentration of 5mg·L−1. The accumulation of precipitates on the cathodes is hindered by the microporous aeration, and the precipitates with readily detached lamellar morphology facilitates the increasing of precipitation rate.
