Electrokinetic remediation with high frequency sinusoidal electric fields

In this work an electrokinetic remediation cell for copper mine tailings using sinusoidal electric field was analyzed. The sinusoidal electric field was obtained by applying simultaneously continuous-alternating voltages; in this work an alternating voltage of high frequency was applied. The system was tested considering the effect of: (1) the effective voltage applied to the cell and (2) the polarity reversal of the cell. According to the conditions studied in this investigation, the laboratory results showed that a high frequency sinusoidal electric field improves the EKR process, and increasing the effective voltage improves the remediation action, especially when a polarity inversion is present, which reduces polarization during the process.

► High frequency sinusoidal electric field improves the EKR process.
► Higher effective voltage increases copper removal.
► Removal from the cell is increased as time ratio for polarity increases.
► DC voltage of 15.3 [V] and AC voltage of 23 [V] are promising conditions.