The removal of nitrates from nuclear waste simulants is a critical step in nuclear waste treatment due to the environmental and safety concerns associated with high nitrate concentrations. PEM flow cells are highly efficient electrochemical reactors that utilize a proton exchange membrane to separate anode and cathode compartments, enhancing ion transport and reaction selectivity. They are particularly well-suited for nitrate removal from nuclear waste simulants due to their controlled environment, efficiency and availability in large scale. In this work, we evaluated three different designs of PEM hydrogen flow cells on sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite electrolysis in continuous flow mode. Different parameters, including shape, inlet port numbers, membrane size, liquid flow rates, voltage and electrical current, ammonia selectivity and Faraday efficiency were compared side by side. The results will be presented. Testing of anion exchange membranes is also in progress.
