Improved ionic mass transfer in an electrochemical cell in presence of turbulence promoters

Abstract

In industrial operations, reduction in equipment size can increase productivity, lower energy inputs and improve purity of the product. The presence of turbulence promoters in an electrochemical cell can increase the intensity of local turbulence, which enhances the mass transfer coefficient at the transfer surface and the limiting current density. The regularity of their geometrical configuration induces a pseudo-uniformity of the spatial distribution of the local mass transfer coefficients. High mass transfer coefficients can be achieved at much lower flow rates when turbulence promoters are placed in the cell. Limiting current data were obtained using a diffusion-controlled electrode reaction at point copper electrodes fixed on the wall of the electrolytic cell in the presence of rectangular turbulence promoters. The improvement in limiting current density, and hence mass transfer coefficient, due to the presence of turbulence promoters is assessed. The effects of the flow rate of the electrolyte, height of the promoters and spacing between the promoters were studied.