Can Electrolysis Revolutionize Wastewater Treatment and Energy Reclamation?

[sennetor]

I'm curious why we don't have more wastewater treatment plants using electrolysis to purify wastewater & could we not reclaim much of the energy lost by some creative engineering, i.e Fuel cells to recombine and running the reactor at depth in a deep wastewater tank?

 

[rootone]

It's probably a matter of what kind of waste water is being dealt with.
Residential areas would be largely organic content with things like detergents mixed in, and electrolysis wouldn't be particularly effective,
For industrial waste though it might be more highly effective as a way of cleaning out metals, braeking down acids and other hazardous pollution.

 

[Nidum]

Not a direct answer to your question but you might find this related topic interesting : Ion Exchange