Treatment of Produced Water Using a Pilot-Scale Advanced Electrochemical Oxidation Unit

The main goal of this study is to optimize the treatment of produced water (PW) using a pilot-scale advanced electrochemical oxidation unit. The electro-cell is outfitted with a boron-doped diamond BDD anode and gas diffusion (GDE) cathode. Synthetic PW was prepared in the laboratory following a protocol designed to closely replicate the characteristics of real PW. The PW used in this study had a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 16,000 mg/L and a total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of 250 mg/L. The effect of various electrooxidation parameters on the reduction in TOC was investigated including pH (2–12), electric current (I) (50–200 mA/cm²), and airflow rate (0–4 NL/min). Response surface method RSM with a Box–Behnken design at a confidence level of 95 percent was employed to analyze the impact of the above factors, with TOC removal used as a response variable. The results revealed that the TOC level decreased by 84% from 250 to 40 mg/L in 4 h, current density of 200 mA/cm², pH of 12, and airflow rate 2 (NL/min). The investigation verified the influential role of diverse operational factors in the treatment process. RSM showed that reducing the airflow rate and increasing pH levels and electric current significantly enhanced the TOC removal. The obtained results demonstrated profound TOC removal, confirming the substantial potential of treating PW using the electrochemical method.