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The present study aims to investigate the feasibility of implementing the electrocoagulation (EC) process to treat Algiers refinery effluent. The electrocoagulation was performed by using scrap aluminum plate electrodes in monopolar-parallel mode. Several parameters, namely current density, reaction time, the electrolyte dose, and the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration were studied. The maximum removal of COD achieved was found to be 78.55%. Operating conditions at which maximum COD removal efficiencies were achieved at current density 8 mA/cm2, electrolyte dose 1 g/L, with 360 mg/L of initial COD concentration at working time of 40 min. An artificial neural network (ANN) was also utilized to determine predicted responses using neural networks for the 4-10-1 arrangement. The responses predicted by ANN were in alignment with the experimental results. The values of the determination coefficient (R2 = 0.978) and the root mean square error (RMSE = 21.28) showed good prediction results between the model and experimental data. Hence, the ANN model as a predictive tool has a great capacity to estimate the effect of operational parameters on the electrocoagulation process. HIGHLIGHTS Electrocoagulation treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater using Al electrode to remove COD, turbidity, and TSS.; Treated effluent concentration after EC treatment met standards discharge Algeria.; The ANN-based statistical model indicates the well-fitting and viability of the process.; Lower energy consumption depicts EC as a cheap (0.383 US$m−3) and accessible technology to treat petroleum refinery wastewater.;

The present work investigated the electrochemical performance of a 3D-printed lab-scale electrochemical cell frame doped with turbulent cylindrical promoters at the inlet using as a case study the treatment of Algiers refinery effluent. Residence time distribution (RTD) experiments were conducted to characterize the flow developed in the reaction environment. A kinetic study of chemical oxygen demand removal of the effluent was aimed to access the reaction rates. Results indicated that the experimental data from RTD fitted well the axially dispersed plug flow (AD-PFR) model with semi-infinite boundary conditions, whereas the kinetic response showed an agreement with a pseudo-first-order model. The mean residence time, the Peclet number (Pe) and the axial dispersion were estimated at 2.07s, 8.36 and 0.0012 m2/s, respectively. Interestingly, the results revealed a high dispersion for relatively low Reynolds number (Re) in the channel. This reflected the applicability of the proposed inlet design to treat low-loaded feeds at higher currents. Finally, the species residence time and the drag forces interaction on the electrode passivation was discussed and future implementation of the proposed inlet design was emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]