Estimation of The Optimum Bed Thickness of A Flow - Through Porous Electrode (FTPE) Working Under Mass Transfer Control

Abstract

In this paper, a theoretical analysis of optimum bed thickness operates under mass transfer control for realizing a high efficiency and reaction conversion of an electrochemical reactor has been made based on flow-through porous electrode (FTPE) configuration. Many models have been used to represent the optimum bed thickness by taking a look into previous works concerned and collecting all related information, data, and models. The parameters that affect the optimum bed thickness have been visualized and reviewed, and almost all of them have been examined by experimental data from different sources and based on the various models. It has been found that the increase in electrolyte flow rate, concentration, limiting current density, and specific surface area reduce the optimum bed thickness, and the increase in electrolyte conductivity, void fraction, and overpotential range increases optimum bed thickness. The most important design parameter that has a great effect on optimum bed thickness is found to be the electrolyte flow rate for any certain operation. It has been concluded that the most appropriate two models to represent the optimum bed thickness of FTPE electrochemical reactor operating under mass transfer control based on the results are those predicted theoretically and stated by Kreysa in (1978) and Doherty et al. in (1996).