The computer-aided design of a new hydrodynamic device for studying mechanisms of chemical transfer across the liquid vertical bar liquid interface

This article outlines the computer-aided design and development of a new hy drodynamic device for investigating the transfer of chemical species betwee n two immiscible liquids. The technique is based on the confluence reactor design, recently introduced for mechanistic and kinetic analysis in single- phase solvent systems. In this article the formulation, numerical procedure s and simulation results are presented for the device development. Finite e lement simulations are presented to establish the fluid dynamic properties of the solvents within the device. In addition, the concentration distribut ion and current/voltage characteristics of electroactive species introduced under mass transport limited conditions are presented. The simulations rev eal the range of optimal transport rate/cell configurations for efficient d etection of species partitioning between the two solvent phases. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.