Study of pumping effect in flow-through electrolysers

Abstract

In electrolysers with recirculation, where a gas is evolved, the pumping of electrolyte from a lower to a higher level can be effected by natural convection due to the difference between the densities of the inlet electrolyte and the gaseous emulsion at the outlet. An accurate balance equation for calculation of the rate of flow of the pumped liquid is derived. An equation for the calculation of the mean volume fraction of bubbles in the space between the electrodes is proposed and verified experimentally on a pilot electrolyser. Two examples of industrial applications are presented.