Effect of cell configurations on the performance of citric acid production by a bipolar membrane electrodialysis

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cell configurations on the energy consumption and the electroacidification parameters in the production of citric acid using a bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPED). Three basic cell arrangements, A (anion membrane)–C (cation membrane)–BP (bipolar membrane)–A–C (type I), C–BP–C (type II) and BP–A–C–BP (type III) were discussed and compared. Type I generates acid citrate by acidification with acid sulfate produced from the dissociation of sodium sulfate, and type II produces acid citrate by replacing Na+ with H+ generated at BPED and type III generates acid citrate by direct splitting sodium citrate. The current density–voltage curves for the three configurations show the typical behaviors given by the coupling of ion transport and electrical field-enhanced water dissociation and are not completely overlapped in the two determined orders due to the change in Donnan potential at the bipolar junction and solution–membrane interface. The magnitudes of cell voltage, current efficiency and energy consumption follow the analogous order as type II type I≈type III. From the comprehensive considerations of the energy consumption, current efficiency and concentration of the produced acid citrate, it suggests that type II seems to be a favorable cell configuration for the production of citric acid. It is not advisable to manufacture acid citrate by direct splitting its salt.

[1]  Denis Ippersiel,et al.  Bipolar-membrane electrodialysis: Applications of electrodialysis in the food industry , 1998 .

[2]  Tongwen Xu,et al.  Development of bipolar membrane-based processes , 2001 .

[3]  Yang Weihua,et al.  Ionic conductivity threshold in sulfonated poly (phenylene oxide) matrices: a combination of three-phase model and percolation theory , 2001 .

[4]  Chou,et al.  Membrane Potential of Composite Bipolar Membrane in Ethanol-Water Solutions: The Role of the Membrane Interface. , 1999, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[5]  V. K. Indusekhar,et al.  Studies on bipolar membranes , 1999 .

[6]  J Amiot,et al.  Bipolar membrane electroacidification to produce bovine milk casein isolate. , 1999, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[7]  T. Xu,et al.  Fundamental studies of a new series of anion exchange membranes: membrane preparation and characterization , 2001 .

[8]  Raynald Labrecque,et al.  Effect of Number of Bipolar Membranes and Temperature on the Performance of Bipolar Membrane Electroacidification , 1997 .

[9]  Seung-Hyeon Moon,et al.  Lactic acid recovery using two-stage electrodialysis and its modelling , 1998 .

[10]  L. Bazinet,et al.  Comparison of Chemical and Bipolar-Membrane Electrochemical Acidification for Precipitation of Soybean Proteins , 1998 .

[11]  H. Strathmann,et al.  Limiting current density and water dissociation in bipolar membranes , 1997 .

[12]  T. V. D. Boomgaard,et al.  Current-voltage curve of a bipolar membrane at high current density , 1996 .

[13]  V. K. Indusekhar,et al.  Studies on bipolar membranes. Part II — Conversion of sodium acetate to acetic acid and sodium hydroxide , 1997 .

[14]  H. Grib,et al.  Extraction of amphoteric amino acids by an electromembrane process. pH and electrical state control by electrodialysis with bipolar membranes , 1998 .

[15]  Tongwen Xu,et al.  Water dissociation phenomena in a bipolar membrane , 1999 .