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Mass transfer characteristics of a flow-by fixed bed electrochemical reactor composed of vertical stack stainless steel screens cathode

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Abstract

Mass transport properties of a flow-by fixed bed electrochemical reactor composed of a vertical stack of stainless steel nets operated at a batch-recycle mode were characterized using cathodic deposition of copper as a test reaction. The electrochemical reactor was operated at constant potential in which reduction of copper happened under mass transport control. This potential was selected from the application of hydrodynamic voltammetry using a borate/chloride solution as supporting electrolyte on stainless steel rotating disc electrode. A linear relationship was observed between the flow rate and the mass transfer coefficient. The electrochemical reactor was efficient in removing copper and able to reduce the levels of this metal to lower than 0.4 ppm starting from an initial concentration of 49.7 ppm at 80 min using a ratio of cathode volume/catholyte volume equal to 0.0075. A mathematical correlation between the Sherwood number and Reynolds number were obtained which characterized the mass transport properties of the reactor as follows: Sh = 0.2254Re0.4228Sc1/3.

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Abbreviations

a :

Specific surface area cm2 cm−3

A :

Cross sectional area of electrode cm2

b :

Power of Reynolds Number in Eq. 10 –

B :

Opening size of screen cm

C(0) :

Initial Concentration at time = 0 mol.cm−3 or ppm

C(t) :

Concentration at time = t mol.cm−3 or ppm

Cb :

Bulk concentration mol.cm−3 or ppm

d :

Diameter of wire screen cm

D :

Diffusivity cm2 s−1

E :

Cell potential mV

Emax :

Maximum electrode potential mV

Emin :

Minimum electrode potential mV

F :

Faraday number(96500) C mo1−1

i :

Current density mA cm−2

ilm :

Limiting current density mA cm−2

IL :

Limiting current mA

jD :

Chilton-Colburn j-factor –

km :

Mass transfer coefficient cm s−1

L :

Length of electrode cm

Li :

Length of wire segment in Eq. (3-c) cm

m :

Constant in Eqs. 10 and 11 –

N :

Mesh size number Wire/in.

n :

Power of Reynolds Number in Eq. 11 –

Q :

Volumetric Flow rate cm3 s−1 or dm3 h−1

t :

Time s

u :

Flow velocity of solution m s−1

Vr :

Volume of reservoir cm3

w :

Thickness of electrode cm

z :

Number of electrons –

Re :

Reynolds number (Re = ud/ ε ν) –

Sh :

Sherwood number dimensionless(Sh = km d/D) –

Sc :

Schmidt number dimensionless(Sc = μ/ρD) –

X :

Geometric dimensionless parameter –

ρ :

Fluid density g cm−3

μ :

Viscosity of fluid g m−1 s−1

ν :

Kinematic viscosity of fluid cm2 s−1

ε :

Void fraction or porosity –

ω :

Rotation velocity rad s−1

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to Engineering Consulting Bureau/ Al-Qadissya University for financial support of this work under the contract no.28-2. Special thanks are also due to the technical staff of Chemical Engineering Department, University of Baghdad for their support and assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniya, Iraq

    Ali H. Abbar

  2. Refrigeration and Air –Conditioning Technical Engineering Department, College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq

    Abbas H. Sulaymon

  3. Chemical Engineering Department, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Sawsan A. M. Mohammed

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  1. Ali H. Abbar
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  2. Abbas H. Sulaymon
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  3. Sawsan A. M. Mohammed
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Correspondence to Ali H. Abbar.

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Abbar, A.H., Sulaymon, A.H. & Mohammed, S.A.M. Mass transfer characteristics of a flow-by fixed bed electrochemical reactor composed of vertical stack stainless steel screens cathode. Heat Mass Transfer 55, 2419–2428 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-019-02591-4

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