Siemens Launches Zimpro Electro-Oxidation Technology

Siemens introduces an electro-oxidation process to address the needs of refinery and petrochemical spent caustic treatment. Zimpro electro-oxidation uses electrically conductive boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes, enabling efficient oxidation of organic and inorganic compounds that are dissolved in spent caustic, according to Siemens. The system’s flexible, modular design is capable of treating highly-contaminated spent caustic streams typically generated by both refineries and petrochemical plants in producing clean fuels and chemicals. Treatment using Zimpro electro-oxidation produces an effluent that is amenable to traditional wastewater treatment processes.

The Zimpro electro-oxidation technology uses electricity passed across BDD electrodes to produce oxidation reactions at near-ambient conditions. The oxidation potential is reportedly very high, allowing for polishing to end-of-pipe requirements in the wastewater plant. No strong and expensive oxidizing chemicals are required to be stored on-site and the oxidation reactions only occur when electricity is applied to the electrodes, according to Siemens.

The Zimpro electro-oxidation process is based on a reactor that contains high-purity, electrically-conductive, solid polycrystalline BDD electrodes. The specialized diamond electrodes generate hydroxyl radicals that, when combined with the chemically inert nature of the synthetic diamond, provide a long-lasting, efficient electrode for challenging oxidation applications like refinery and petrochemical spent caustics, according to Siemens.