Electrolysis characterization of saline wastewater discharged from a subsurface pipe in saline-alkali land

We improved the design of an ion membrane electrolysis device to assess its use for electrolytic desalination and hydrogen production utilizing wastewater discharged from a subsurface drainage pipe in saline-alkali land. The device can reduce the waste of water resources and agricultural non-point source pollution. The electrolysis performance is low due to the low concentration of salts and complex ionic species in the drainage water from subsurface pipes of farmland. A one-factor quantitative experimental study was conducted to assess the influence of the electrolysis parameters on the electrolytic characteristics. Multifactor synergistic optimization of the parameters was performed. The results indicate different degrees of linear correlations between the hydrogen and chlorine gas production rates and the current density (CD) for different process parameters. Different factors have different degrees of influence on the electrolysis characteristics, and factor interactions occur. The optimization model describing the effects of multiple factors on the final current density (FCD), pH value after reaction (ARP), and energy consumption rate (ECR) is reliable and stable. The optimized operating parameters included a brine concentration (BC) of 3.6 mol·L−1, before reaction pH (BRP) value of 9, working voltage (WV) of 12.2 V, and electrode immersion depth (EID) of 22.5 cm. Under these conditions, the FCD is 183.03 mA·cm−2, the ARP is 13.99, and the ECR is 24,586.50 kW·h/kg. The proposed method substantially improves the electrolysis performance. The results provide theoretical and technical support for utilizing saline wastewater discharged from saline-alkaline land.