Mass-transfer studies in an electrochemical reactor with a small interelectrode gap

• Turbulence promoters increase from two to eight times the mass-transfer coefficients.
• Turbulence promoters become more uniform the mass-transfer distribution.
• Expanded plastics with an open structure are appropriate as turbulence promoters.

This paper reports the distribution of the local mass-transfer coefficient along the electrode length for an electrochemical reactor with parallel-plate electrodes and narrow interelectrode gaps of 1 and 2.2 mm, using the reduction of ferricyanide as a test reaction. The studies were performed at different flow rates, Reynolds numbers ranging from 370 to 3700, with the empty reactor and also the interelectrode gap was filled with two types of expanded plastics and a woven plastic mesh as turbulence promoters. The effect of both the interelectrode gap and the partial placing of the turbulence promoter along the electrode length on the mass-transfer behaviour was also analyzed. In all cases the pressure drop across the reactor was measured. A more uniform distribution of the local mass-transfer coefficient, ±15% related to its mean value, and an important increase of the mean mass-transfer coefficient, enhancement factor ranging from 2 to 8, were observed, depending on the type of turbulence promoter, the volumetric flow rate, and the interelectrode gap.