Recovering of Copper from Synthetic Solution in 3PE Reactor

Recovery of copper from a synthetic solution with an initial copper concentration 1 g/l, pH 1 was investigated in a Pulsed Porous Percolated Electrode reactor (3PE). This reactor was constructed in the axial field configuration with 0.2 m diameter and 0.35 m height. Graphite particles were used as a voluminal cathode and a counter electrode made of titanium coated with ruthenium oxide was placed 0.04 0.05 m above the upper level of carbon particles. The optimum current intensity was obtained at 9 A at which more than 90 % of copper was recovered in 4 hours. Due to a current intensity drop during the destabilization of the granular bed, the recovery rate of copper decreased when the pulse frequency increased. In addition, a reasonable operating cost was obtained at about 14.87 FF/m (1.97 US$/m) at optimum current. A dimensionless number, which shows the relationship between the mass transfer coefficient and flow rate of the electrolyte, was defined.