Date of Award

Spring 5-3-2024

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemical Engineering

Advisor

William J. DeSisto

Second Committee Member

Thomas J. Schwartz

Third Committee Member

Sampath Gunukula

Abstract

Ensuring safe drinking water and effective sanitation remains a global priority. The shortages of disinfectants experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic further underscore the importance of reliable disinfection methods. Chlorine-based disinfection is widely used but poses safety hazards and logistical challenges in its traditional production and transportation forms. Alternately, on-site chlorine generation using electrochemical conversion of aqueous sodium chloride offers a promising solution, mitigating these risks and providing a flexible approach to disinfection. This thesis investigates the performance of various anode materials and modular, membrane-less, single-cell reactor designs to optimize on-site chlorine generation. Optimization included minimizing specific electrical consumption for chlorine generation and maximizing chlorine current efficiency. Operating conditions of applied voltage, sodium chloride concentration, reactor geometry, and flow rate were investigated. For specific reactor designs, optimizing these conditions is important for commercial applications. A preliminary techno-economic analysis is also presented.

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