Optimized design of an electrochemical filter-press reactor using CFD methods

Abstract

A former laboratory filter-press electrochemical reactor previously used in electrodialysis, electrosynthesis and wastewater treatment was studied from a hydrodynamic point of view using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A finite elements method (FEM) software environment was used in order to simulate both fluid velocity field and tracer diffusion in the reactor for different low Reynolds numbers, enabling the estimation of active and stagnant areas inside the reactor. These results provided interesting information in order to design a new electrochemical compartment focusing on the entrance-exit manifolds to minimize the formation of stagnant areas within the reactor. CFD methods were again employed to study and optimize the new reactor in order to predict its performance. In both cases, CFD calculations were compared with residence time distribution (RTD) studies in order to validate the simulations.