Mass transfer in parallel plate electrolyzers with two-phase liquid-liquid flow
The enhancement of mass transfer to a solid surface by addition of a dispersed immiscible second liquid phase was investigated with use of the electrochemical limiting current method. The electrolyzer consisted of a divided parallel plate cell in which electrolyte flowed upward past vertical electrodes. Three electrolytes were used: aqueous ferricyanide, aqueous ferricyanide containing inert dispersed droplets of toluene, and aqueous iodide containing dispersed toluene droplets in which was dissolved the reactant, iodine. Experiments were carried out under controlled variation of flow rate, droplet size, organic volume fraction, and electrode material. Experiments were performed both with and without use of a turbulence promoter. It was found that the overall mass-transfer rate could be separated into three elements: the single-phase mass-transfer rate; the enhancement of mass transfer owing to the physical action of dispersed liquid droplets; and the still further enhancement of mass transfer owing to the presence of reactants dissolved in the dispersed droplets. For sparingly soluble reactants, it was found that the mass-transfer enhancement achieved by extraction of reactants from a dispersed second liquid phase could be orders of magnitude larger than the other two mass-transfer mechanisms.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
- OSTI ID:
- 6565821
- Journal Information:
- J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 131:5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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