This work presents numerical simulations of turbulent flow, mass transport and tertiary current distribution on the cathode of a rotating cylinder electrode reactor (RCE) in a continuous operation mode. A configuration of a RCE with electrolyte inlet at the bottom and the electrolyte exit at the top was employed. Silver electrodeposition (12.15 mol m⁻³ (1300 ppm) Ag(I), 883.5 mol m⁻³ (23000 ppm) CN⁻, pH 13 and 150 mS cm⁻¹ conductivity) was used as a test system. Bulk electrolysis in the RCE was performed at a constant potential of − 1.2 V vs. SCE, which ensured complete mass transport control. A constant volumetric inflow rate of 0.1 L min⁻¹ at the RCE inlet was employed. CFD simulations were obtained solving the RANS equations with the standard k − ε turbulence model. For mass transport simulations, the averaged diffusion-convection equation was solved. For the simulations of tertiary current distribution, wall functions were employed. The tertiary current distribution on the RCE interface along the z-coordinate presented one border effect close to the electrolyte inlet, afterwards, even current distribution was obtained. The border effect is created by the abruptly silver concentration depletion at the electrolyte inlet. Good agreement between mass transport correlation and current distribution simulations with experimental data were attained.

中文翻译：

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银沉积过程中连续运行模式下旋转圆柱电极反应器阴极湍流，传质和三次电流分布的模拟

这项工作提出了在连续运行模式下旋转圆柱电极反应器（RCE）阴极上的湍流，质量输运和三次电流分布的数值模拟。使用RCE的构造，其电解质入口在底部，而电解质出口在顶部。银电沉积（12.15摩尔米^-3（1300ppm的）银（I），883.5摩尔米^-3（23000 ppm的）CN ^-，pH值13和150毫秒厘米^-1电导率）用作测试系统。RCE中的本体电解是在相对于SCE的恒定电势-1.2 V下进行的，从而确保了完整的质量传输控制。恒定的体积流入速率为0.1 L min ^-1在RCE入口处使用。通过使用标准k -ε湍流模型求解RANS方程，获得了CFD模拟。对于传质模拟，求解了平均扩散对流方程。为了模拟三次电流分布，采用了墙函数。RCE界面上沿z坐标的三次电流分布在靠近电解质入口处表现出一个边界效应，此后，获得了均匀的电流分布。边界效应是由于电解液入口处的银浓度突然耗尽而产生的。传质相关性和电流分布模拟与实验数据之间取得了良好的一致性。