Removal of copper from water using a thermally regenerative electrodeposition battery.

A thermally regenerative ammonia battery (TRAB) recently developed for electricity generation using waste heat was adapted and used here as a treatment process for solutions containing high concentrations of copper ions. Copper removal reached a maximum of 77% at an initial copper concentration (Ci) of 0.05M, with a maximum power density (P) of 31Wm-2-electrode area. Lowering the initial copper concentration decreased the percentage of copper removal from 51% (Ci=0.01M, P=13Wm-2) to 2% (Ci=0.002M, P=2Wm-2). Although the final solution may require additional treatment, the adapted TRAB process removed much of the copper while producing electrical power that could be used in later treatment stages. These results show that the adapted TRAB can be a promising technology for removing copper ions and producing electricity by using waste heat as a highly available and free source of energy at many industrial sites.