Electrochemical study of liquid-solid mass transfer in packed bed electrodes with upward and downward co-current gas-liquid flow

Abstract

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameters (pressure drop, gas and liquid hold-up, liquid-solid mass transfer coefficients) have been measured for porous electrodes with upward or downward co-current gas-liquid flow by means of several electrochemical techniques. The influence of the most important parameters (packing diameter, gas and liquid flow rates) and of the hydrodynamic flow regimes, has been studied. It is found that in the trickle flow regime the limiting current densities depend only on the liquid flow rates (with no measurable influence of the gas). In the upward flow configuration, the strong turbulence generated by the ascending gas bubbles leads to a sharp increase of current densities with the gas flow rate. A comparison between both configurations is presented.