• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2005

This study examined the feasibility of producing sulfuric acid and ammonia water from ammonium sulfate solution using two-compartment electrodialysis with a bipolar membrane (EDBM). Electrodialysis experiments were carried out with 20 wt% ammonium sulfate at different current densities and sulfuric acid concentrations in a concentrate compartment. The current efficiency increased with the current density from 25 to $100\;mA/cm^2$. Nevertheless, the efficiency was relatively low compared with that of general desalting electrodialysis, owing to the diffusion of sulfuric acid from the concentrate compartment to the diluate. The diffusion rate through the anion exchange membrane increased with the sulfuric acid concentration in the concentrate compartment, which decreased the current efficiency. Conversely, the electrical resistance decreased with increasing current density owing to the Joulian heat generated during water dissociation in the transition region of the bipolar membrane under a high electric field. From the experimental results, we concluded that operating at a higher current density is effective from the perspective of current efficiency and electrical resistance when producing sulfuric acid and ammonia water from ammonium sulfate using a two-compartment EDBM process. Further studies on the effects of increasing the sulfuric acid concentration on current efficiency are required to apply the EDBM process practically.