MASS-TRANSFER BEHAVIOR OF ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTORS EMPLOYING VIBRATING SCREEN ELECTRODES

This work concerns the use of vibrating screens as electrodes in build ing electrochemical reactors, i.e., (i) the effect of superimposed flo w on the mass-transfer coefficient at vibrated screens; and (ii) facto rs affecting the relation between the mass-transfer coefficient and me chanical power consumed in vibrating the screen electrode. Superimpose d solution flow using superficial velocity in the range of 0.7 to 5.4 cm/s enhanced the mass-transfer coefficient at relatively low vibratio n intensities, and at high vibration intensities superimposed solution flow decreases the mass-transfer coefficient. Power consumption calcu lations have shown that the efficiency of power utilization in enhanci ng the rate of mass transfer at vibrating screens is a function of the screen mesh number and the number of screens per bed. For vibrating s creen beds, the mass-transfer coefficient increases with power consump tion to a certain limit and then becomes insensitive to power consumpt ion.