Two-Dimensional Current Distribution Within a Packed-Bed Electrochemical Flow Reactor

An analysis is presented for describing behavior of a packed-bed electrode confined within a thin cylindrical porous separator and surrounded by a concentric counterelectrode. Electrolytic solution, containing reactive species, flows axially in plug flow through the packed-bed electrode while the peripheral surface of the packed bed is held under a constant applied potential. Results are obtained for two types of porous separators, (i) permeable to all solute species and (it) impermeable to the reactive solute species. For each case, the two-dimensional (radial and axial) concentration, potential, and current distributions are calculated by a finite difference method. The results clarify over-all reactor performance and, in particular, predict the relation between the volumetric reaction rate and the residence time for a wide range of system parameters.