An Easy-to-Use Tool for Modeling the Dynamics of Capacitive Deionization

Capacitive deionization
is an emerging method of desalinating brackish
water that has been presented as an alternative to the widely applied
technologies such as reverse osmosis. However, for the technology
to find more widespread use, it is important not only to improve its
efficiency but also to make its modeling more accessible for researchers.
In this work, a program has been developed and provided as an open-source
with which a user can simulate the performance of a capacitive deionization
system by simply entering the basic experimental conditions. The usefulness
of this program was demonstrated by predicting how the effluent concentration
in a continuous-mode constant-voltage operation varies with time,
as well as how it depends on the flow rate, applied voltage, and inlet
ion concentration. Finally, the generality of the program has been
demonstrated using data from reports in the literature wherein various
electrode materials, cell structures, and operational modes were used.
Thus, we conclude that the model, termed the dynamic Langmuir model,
could be an effective and simple tool for modeling the dynamics of
capacitive deionization.