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Electrochemical incineration of oxalic acid: Reactivity and engineering parameters

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Abstract

Mass transfer measurements were carried out to test a disk-shaped parallel-plate electrochemical cell, based on a new design. The impinging-jet-cell concept, confined between parallel plates, was adapted to a configuration with one central inlet and several peripheral exit sections, leading to more effective hydrodynamics within the cell. Measurements of mass transfer coefficient were performed using the limiting diffusion current technique based on ferro-cyanide ion oxidation, and overall mass transfer coefficients were correlated to Reynolds numbers ranging from 30 to 200.

 A comparison with literature on similar devices showed higher mass transfer coefficients can be obtained in the cell described in the present work. From the mass transfer standpoint, this type of cell could be a valuable tool in electrochemical wastewater treatment applications.

 The electrochemical oxidation of oxalic acid was tested at different anode materials (Pb/PbO2, boron-doped diamond, Ti/Pt and Ti/IrO2–Ta2O5), showing that the new cell design enables limitations usually encountered with conventional batch cells to be overcome. However, the nature of the anode material remains an important parameter for the elimination of organic substrates.

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Abbreviations

A :

electrode surface area (m2)

C :

bulk species concentration (mol m−3)

D :

diffusion coefficient (m2 s−1)

d N :

diameter of the nozzle (m)

F :

faradic constant (96487 C mol−1)

H :

nozzle height (m)

I L :

electrolysis limiting current (A)

K :

mass transfer coefficient (m s−1)

r :

radial coordinate measured from the stagnation point (m)

R :

radius of the disk electrode (cm)

Re :

Reynolds number

Re d :

nozzle Reynolds number

Re r :

radial Reynolds number

s :

inter-electrode distance (m)

Sc :

Schmidt number

Sh :

Sherwood number

Sh d :

nozzle Sherwood number

Sh r :

radial Sherwood number

z :

electrons exchanged in electrode reaction

V N :

mean fluid velocity in cell or channel (m s−1)

Q :

volumetric flow rate (m3 s−1)

ρ:

fluid density (kg m−3)

ν:

kinematics viscosity of the fluid (m2 s−1)

μ:

dynamic viscosity (kg s−1 m−1)

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Acknowledgements

C.A. Martinez-Huitle gratefully acknowledges the CONACYT for financial support of his Ph.D. The authors thank Adamant Technologies (Neuchâtel, Switzerland), for providing the BDD samples, and De Nora (Milan, Italy) for the Ti/Pt and Ti/IrO2–Ta2O5 electrodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari 46, I-44100, Ferrara, Italy

    C.A. MARTÍNEZ-HUITLE, S. FERRO & A. DE BATTISTI

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  1. C.A. MARTÍNEZ-HUITLE
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  2. S. FERRO
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  3. A. DE BATTISTI
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Correspondence to A. DE BATTISTI.

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MARTÍNEZ-HUITLE, C., FERRO, S. & DE BATTISTI, A. Electrochemical incineration of oxalic acid: Reactivity and engineering parameters. J Appl Electrochem 35, 1087–1093 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-005-9003-0

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