Taguchi-Based Process Optimization
for Improving Iron Removal from Water
Using Electrocoagulation Technique
Krishti Biswas and Mehabub Rahaman
Abstract The objective of this study is to remove iron from the aqueous solution
by electrocoagulation (EC) process due to its simple setup and cost-effectiveness.
Aluminum was chosen as the suitable material for the electrodes. In this study,
the effect of different process parameters (viz. the initial concentrations of iron,
the current intensity, the conductivity of the aqueous solution, the inter-electrode
distance, and the initial pH of solution) was studied. Taguchi experimental design
with an L 16 orthogonal array was utilized to determine the optimal conditions for
iron removal. The experiments were conducted at four different levels with the five
process parameters. The ranges of the experimental parameters were chosen as an
initial iron concentration: 15–30 ppm, current intensity: 0.50–1.25 A, inter-electrode
distance: 8–14 mm, conductivity: 345–375 µS, and initial pH: 5–8. The processing
time of the study was kept constant for all the experiments. The percentage of removal
of iron was taken as the response for Taguchi analysis. The optimized conditions were
found to be 15 ppm of initial concentration, 1.25 A of current intensity, and 8 mm
of inter-electrode distance with insensitive to the range of values carried out for
conductivity and initial pH of the solution. The decreasing order of sensitivity of the
process parameters was found to be as initial concentration, inter-electrode distance,
current intensity, pH of the solution, and conductivity.
Keywords Iron removal · Electrocoagulation · Optimization · Taguchi method
1 Introduction
Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining life and environment that we have
always thought to be available in abundance and free gift of nature. Over the past few
K. Biswas · M. Rahaman (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
e-mail: mehabub@gmail.com
K. Biswas
e-mail: krisss.26910@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_33
327
for Improving Iron Removal from Water
Using Electrocoagulation Technique
Krishti Biswas and Mehabub Rahaman
Abstract The objective of this study is to remove iron from the aqueous solution
by electrocoagulation (EC) process due to its simple setup and cost-effectiveness.
Aluminum was chosen as the suitable material for the electrodes. In this study,
the effect of different process parameters (viz. the initial concentrations of iron,
the current intensity, the conductivity of the aqueous solution, the inter-electrode
distance, and the initial pH of solution) was studied. Taguchi experimental design
with an L 16 orthogonal array was utilized to determine the optimal conditions for
iron removal. The experiments were conducted at four different levels with the five
process parameters. The ranges of the experimental parameters were chosen as an
initial iron concentration: 15–30 ppm, current intensity: 0.50–1.25 A, inter-electrode
distance: 8–14 mm, conductivity: 345–375 µS, and initial pH: 5–8. The processing
time of the study was kept constant for all the experiments. The percentage of removal
of iron was taken as the response for Taguchi analysis. The optimized conditions were
found to be 15 ppm of initial concentration, 1.25 A of current intensity, and 8 mm
of inter-electrode distance with insensitive to the range of values carried out for
conductivity and initial pH of the solution. The decreasing order of sensitivity of the
process parameters was found to be as initial concentration, inter-electrode distance,
current intensity, pH of the solution, and conductivity.
Keywords Iron removal · Electrocoagulation · Optimization · Taguchi method
1 Introduction
Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining life and environment that we have
always thought to be available in abundance and free gift of nature. Over the past few
K. Biswas · M. Rahaman (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
e-mail: mehabub@gmail.com
K. Biswas
e-mail: krisss.26910@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_33
327