Mass transfer behavior of rotating square cylinder electrochemical reactor in relation to wastewater treatment

Rates of mass transfer at a rotating square cylinder were measured by an electrochemical technique which involved measuring the limiting current of the cathodic reduction of K3Fe(CN)6 in a large excess of NaOH solution. Variables studied were: cylinder rotation speed, physical properties of the solution and cylinder equivalent diameter. The data for the condition 1577 < Sc < 4117, 1045 < Re < 67,803 were found to fit the equation: Sh=2.1Sc0.33Re0.45Sh=2.1Sc0.33Re0.45For a given set of conditions the rate of mass transfer at the square rotating cylinder was found to be higher than that at the traditional circular rotating cylinder by an amount ranging from 47% to 200% depending on Re. The use of the square rotating cylinder electrode in removing oxalic acid from wastewater by anodic oxidation on Pb/PbO anode was examined and found to be promising.

► The work explores a new electrochemical reactor by using square rotating cylinders.
► The results show that it is superior to the traditional circular rotating cylinder.
► A dimensionless design equation for the new reactor was correlated.
► The oxalic acid removal by the new reactor was succeeded and found promising.
► The energy consumption per kg oxalic acid removed by the unit was calculated.