Comparison of the performance of a reactor equipped with a Ti/Pt and an SS anode for simultaneous cyanide removal and copper recovery

• Published in: Electrochimica acta 2000-11, Vol.46 (2), p.381-387
• Main Authors: Szpyrkowicz, L, Kaul, S.N, Molga, E, DeFaveri, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemistry; Cu electrodeposition; Cyanide electro-oxidation; Electrochemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Kinetics and mechanism of reactions; Metal plating wastewater; Other wastes and particular components of wastes; Pollution; SS anode; Ti/Pt anode; Wastes
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/S0013-4686(00)00595-8

The paper presents the results of a study on the destruction of copper complexed cyanides and the simultaneous recovery of copper in a lab-scale batch electrochemical reactor. The performance of the reactor equipped with a stainless steel (SS) plate anode is compared with the data relative to the process conducted with a Ti/Pt anode having the same overall size. Both reactors operated at various initial pH values under galvanostatic conditions. Under highly alkaline conditions in situ generation of a CuO catalyst on the anode surface was observed in both the reactors. The observed mass transport coefficient, showing both the effects of reaction kinetics and mass transfer, was a function of pH value and, only secondly, of the anode material. The highest value of ( k l A) obs, equal to 0.24033 cm 3s −1 was obtained for a Ti/Pt anode reactor operating at the pH of 13. Under these very alkaline conditions the performance of the reactor equipped with the Ti/Pt anode at high initial Cu concentration proved slightly better than the performance with the SS anode. The energy consumption for the pH 13 was a function E= a/[Cu]+ b, where a and b are the constants characteristic for each of the two reactors.