The reaction environment in a filter-press laboratory reactor: the FM01-LC flow cell

A parallel plate cell facilitating controlled flow in a rectangular channel and capable of incorporating a wide range of electrode materials is important in studies of electrode reactions prior to process development and scale-up. The FM01-LC, a versatile laboratory-scale, plane parallel filter-press type electrochemical cell (having a projected electrode area of 64 cm2) which is based on the larger FM21-SP electrolyser (2100 cm2 area). Many laboratories have used this type of reactor to quantify the importance of reaction environment in fundamental studies and to prepare for industrial applications. A number of papers have concerned the experimental characterization and computational modelling of its reaction environment but the experimental and computational data has become dispersed. The cell has been used in a diverse range of synthesis and processing applications which require controlled flow and known reaction environment. In a previous review, the cell construction and reaction environment was summarised followed by the illustration of its use for a range of applications that include organic and inorganic electrosynthesis, metal ion removal, energy storage, environmental remediation (e.g., metal recycling or anodic destruction of organics) and drinking water treatment. This complementary review considers the characteristics of the FM01-LC electrolyser as an example of a well-engineered flow cell facilitating cell scale-up and provides a rigorous analysis of its reaction environment. Particular aspects include the influence of electrolyte velocity on mass transport rates, flow dispersion and current distribution.