HYDROGEN AND BROMINE PRODUCTION FROM CONCENTRATED SEA-WATER

In salt production from sea-water, water is evaporated in open ponds a nd then crude salt is crystallized in crystallization ponds. The mothe r liqor from crystallization ponds; which is called bittern, is discha rged back to the sea. Bromine concentration in bittern is approximatel y 1000 ppm which is fifteen times higher than in sea-water. In this st udy, bittern from the Izmir-Camalti salt production unit was electroly zed to evolve bromine instead of chlorine at the anode by using specia l electrodes which had an overvoltage which avoided chlorine evolution . Under controlled cell potential, production of hydrogen at the catho de and pure bromine at the anode was achieved. (C) 1997 International Association for Hydrogen Energy.