Prediction of mass transport profiles in a laboratory filter-press electrolyser by computational fluid dynamics modelling

A commercial computational fluid dynamics code (Fluent) has been used to analyze the performance of a unit cell laboratory; the filter-press reactor (FM01-LC) operating with characteristic linear flow velocities between 0.024 m s−1 and 0.110 m s−1. The electrolyte flow through the reactor channel was numerically simulated using a finite volume approach to the solution of the Navier–Stokes equations. The flow patterns in the reactor were obtained and the mean linear electrolyte velocity was evaluated and substituted into a general mass transport correlation to calculate the mass transport coefficients. In the region of 150 < Re < 550, mass transport coefficients were obtained with a relative error between 5% and 29% respect to the experimental km values. The differences between theoretical and experimental values are discussed.