RESULTS OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF HYDROTHERMAL SEPARATE AT THE MUTNOVSKOE HYDROTHERMAL FIELD (KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA)

Abstract

We have studied silica precipitation from the hydrothermal solution by electrochemical coagulation method in the laboratory and Mutnovskoe field conditions. Coagulant was added to the solution from the dissoluble metal electrodes (steel, copper, aluminium) under passing direct electric current. We found treatment with aluminium electrodes to be the most effective. In these experiments silica and aluminium concentration in solution, solution pH were determined and electrodes voltage was recorded. Settling rates of the coagulated silica flakes and the time of solution clarification were also measured. Current strength, solution temperature and distance between the electrodes plates were changed in experiments. The theoretical functions expressing the dependence of silica concentration in solution on treatment duration and the quantity of electric energy consumed during the treatment were found. The rate of aluminium electrodes dissolving and amount of coagulant used for treatment were calculated. With the help of X-Ray analysis it was obtained the amorphous structure of material precipitated by the electric treatment. On the base of the experimental data we evaluated the parameters of pilot electrocoagulator necessary for treatment of 1 kg/s of hydrothermal separate flow.