STEADY-STATE MODELING OF A PARALLEL-PLATE ELECTROCHEMICAL FLUORINATION REACTOR

A steady-state mathematical model of a parallel plate reactor was deve loped for studying the electrochemical fluorination of organic compoun ds dissolved in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The model incorporates tw o-phase flow with differential material, energy, and pressure balances . Profiles of temperature, pressure, vapor volume fraction, and curren t density in the reactor are presented at two inlet temperatures to pr ovide insight into the operation of the reactor. The effects of the in let temperature, feed flow rate, and cell current on the cell pack vol tage and current efficiency of the reactor are presented to determine problematic operating regions for the reactor. Optimum operating curre nts based on the ratio of the moles of fluorochemical produced to the input energy are also calculated.