A review of measurements of the mass transfer in minichannels using the limiting current technique

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to present the applicability of the limiting current method for investigating of mass/heat transfer in minichannels. The paper provides an overview of results of mass transfer measurements. Some factors influencing the mass transfer experiment were discussed including the state of the electroactive surface, change in ion concentration and thickness of the diffusion layer. The author has based her conclusions on the results of her own electrochemical measurements and on available literature data. The issues examined concerned mass transfer during laminar flow through channels with small hydraulic diameter. The flows with mass transfer through the first of all circular channels (short, d=1.5mm and long, d=0.2mm) were discussed. A similar analysis for rectangular narrow channels was made. Since the aim of the work was to assess the validity of applying the mass/heat transfer analogy method using the limiting current technique in the study of heat transfer in minichannels, the literature data about the accuracy of the other measurements procedure – thermal balance method – was presented and compared with accuracy of the method considered. Conclusions about the achieve the most suitable procedure for electrochemical measurements in the case of mass transfer in minichannels were formulated.