Mass transfer modeling and simulation at a rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) reactor under turbulent flow for copper recovery

Abstract

This work presents the numerical simulation of a laboratory reactor with rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) and a six-plate counter electrode that is used in studies on heavy metal recovery. The rate of electrode rotation and the potential applied are of such magnitude that the electrochemical reactor works in conditions of mass transport control under turbulent flow to obtain high recovery rates and formation of dendritic metal deposits. For hydrodynamics, the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were solved using the standard k–e turbulence model, as well as wall functions based on the universal velocity distribution in the near-wall region. Results of 3-D simulations of the velocity field show clearly the formation of the turbulence Taylor vortex flow. For mass transfer, convection–diffusion equation was solved using the Kays–Crawford model for turbulent Schmidt number and Launder–Spalding wall functions adapted for mass transfer. Kinetics of copper recovery from aqueous solutions containing 0.019 M CuSO4 and 1 M H2SO4, in the range of rotation speed of 400–1100 rpm, was adequately fit (error <8%) during the electrolysis time to achieve a final recovery of 85% for potentiostatic and 60% for galvanostatic experiments. The fitting parameter of the concentration wall function used in all experiments was A=2.9.