MASS TRANSFER IN GAS-SPARGED POROUS ELECTRODES.

The electrochemical limiting current method was used to measure mass transfer coefficients in cocurrent upward gas-liquid flow through packed bed electrodes. Liquid-solid and overall gas-solid coefficients were determined from limiting current data in the presence of inert or reactive gas flows with the use of a plug flow model. The presence of inert gas flow increased mass transfer coefficients over those in single-phase flow by a factor of up to 1. 7. As a result of boundary layer penetration by gas bubbles, sparging with reactive gas increased mass transfer rates by a factor of up to 3. 5.