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Hypochlorite electro-generation. I. A parametric study of a parallel plate electrode cell

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Abstract

A parametric study is described of a parallel plate Ti/PbO2/x mol dm−3 NaCl/Ti hypochlorite cell, for which the cell voltage, current efficiency, and energy yield (mol ClO− kWh−1) were examined as functions of current density, chloride concentration, and electrolyte flow rate, inlet temperature and pH.

The cell was found to behave ohmically, with current efficiencies of 85–99% for 0.5 mol dm−3 NaCl electrolyte, a typical chloride concentration for sea water. However, the hypochlorite energy decreased substantially with increased current density, reflecting the large contribution of the electrolyte ohmic potential drop to the cell voltage.

The behaviour of the Ti/PbO2 anode was found to be irreproducible, and low temperature (say ⩽ 278K)/high current density operation was irreversibly detrimental both in terms of the anode potential/cell voltage and current efficiency.

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Abbreviations

b :

polarization resistance (ohm m2)

d min :

interelectrode spacing to minimize the cell voltage (m)

f(x) :

volume fraction of gas at levelx f

av :

average volume fraction of gas

F :

Faraday constant (96487 C mol−1)

h :

electrode length/height (m)

i(x) :

current density at positionx (A m−2)

i av :

average current density (A m−2)

I :

cell current (A)

P :

pressure of gas evolved at electrodes (N m−2)

R :

universal gas constant (8.314 J mol−1K−1 )

R eff :

total ohmic resistance of electrolyte and gas in cell (ohm)

s :

bubble rise rate (m s−1)

\(t_{Cl^ - } \) :

chloride ion transport number

T :

electrolyte temperature (K)

w :

electrode width (m)

x :

distance from bottom of electrodes (m)

z :

number of Faradays per mole of gas evolved

η(x) :

overpotential at positionx (V)

π :

resistivity of gas free electrolyte (ohm m)

π(x) :

resistivity at levelx of electrolyte containing bubbles (ohm m)

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Author notes

  1. G. H. Kelsall

    Present address: Department of Mineral Resources Engineering, Imperial College, SW7 2BP, London, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electricity Council Research Centre, CH1 6ES, Capenhurst, Chester, UK

    G. H. Kelsall

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Kelsall, G.H. Hypochlorite electro-generation. I. A parametric study of a parallel plate electrode cell. J Appl Electrochem 14, 177–186 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00618736

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