Water recovery via the removal of Cl− ion and total dissolved solids using electrodialysis in Gohar Zamin Iron Ore Concentrate Plant (GIOCP): modeling and simulation

The desalination process consists of a set of multi-step actions, which are conducted on saline water in order to remove excess salts and other minerals. In the desalination process, water is recovered, so that it would be suitable for industrial usage. In the present study, electrodialysis (ED) was used for desalination, especially for removing chloride (Cl-) ion and total dissolved solids (TDS), in Gohar Zamin Iron Ore Concentrate Plant (GIOCP). To optimize the influential factors in the removal of chloride and TDS in ED, the response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized. To this end, the D-optimal experimental design was applied to optimize the experiments. The effects of three independent parameters, including electrolysis time (A), consumption voltage (B), and initial concentration of chloride ion (C), were assess for the removal of chloride and TDS from recovered water. In addition, interactive and linear models were applied to determine the responses of chloride and TDS removal rates, respectively. The optimal operating conditions for the removal of chloride with 51.46% efficiency were obtained at the runtime of 30 minutes, consumption voltage of 12 V, and initial concentration of 300 ppm. Similarly, optimal TDS removal with 48.03% efficiency was achieved at the runtime of 30 minutes, consumption voltage of 12 V, and initial concentration of 300 ppm. According to the findings, ED was a highly reliable method for the removal of salts from water, as well as the high-quality recycling of water from mineral industries, especially in mineral processing plants.