Towards Combining Electrochemical Water Splitting and Electrochemical Disinfection

Abstract

To produce hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), electrolytic water splitting (EWS) emerges as one of the most encouraging techniques in which to harness intermittent renewable power sources and store the energy these provide as a clean-burning and sustainable fuel. Nevertheless, efficacious formation of H2 and O2 is of little usage if such products cannot be kept separate and there are major dares linked with preserving suitable separation between H2 and O2 during electrolysis driven by intermittent renewable sources. In this work, a short view of fresh advance in the field of decoupled electrolysis for water splitting is presented and the potential that this technique has for enabling a range of other sustainable chemical processes is explored. Between such chemical processes, electrochemical disinfection (ED) remains a great promise in disinfecting water. This work suggests the application of ED in the EWS compartment producing O2 besides the other compartment producing H2. Similarities between the two processes include that both of them use electric current for their realization. For the first one, H2 and O2 are produced separately in two cells. The suggested idea here is to use EWS device for producing H2 in one cell and producing O2 in the second cell in which water may be disinfected by the electric field application and the electric current passage. Disinfection efficiency would be enhanced by the presence of O2. Practical examinations have to be conducted to determine the best scheme in terms of dimensions and disinfection efficiencies.