3D-printed pulsator to enhance mass transfer in electrochemical reactors

IF 2 Q3 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

HardwareX Pub Date : 2025-03-27 DOI:10.1016/j.ohx.2025.e00645

Kavin Teenakul, Luis Fernando Arenas, Jonas Hereijgers

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Abstract

This study presents a cost-effective diaphragm pulsator, constructed for approximately €500, designed to enhance mass transport in laboratory electrochemical reactors. The pulsator allows accurate control of pulsation frequency between 1 Hz and 6 Hz and displacement volume, with simple programmability using an Arduino microcontroller. The design features multiple chambers that effectively isolate corrosive liquids from the mechanical components, ensuring durability and extended operational life. The pulsator’s 3D-printed components can be customized with different materials to suit various applications. Engineered to generate a pulsating flow profile that closely resembles a sinusoidal wave, video tracking analysis confirmed the sinusoidal nature of the flow, demonstrating consistent flow profile generation with adjustable frequency and amplitude. The maximum volume displacement achieved was 11.9 mL, which was reduced to 2.0 mL when the electrochemical cell was connected. Limiting current experiments with a ferri/ferrocyanide electrolyte showed that the mass transport coefficient of a typical cell increased from 2.3 × 10⁻³ cm/s under constant flow to 4.5 × 10⁻³ cm/s under pulsating conditions. These findings validate that the adjustable, Arduino-programmable sinusoidal pulsation generated by the diaphragm pulsator offers a practical and customizable method for enhancing mass transport in small-scale electrochemical reactors.

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来源期刊

HardwareX Engineering-Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

18.20%

发文量

124

审稿时长

24 weeks

期刊介绍： HardwareX is an open access journal established to promote free and open source designing, building and customizing of scientific infrastructure (hardware). HardwareX aims to recognize researchers for the time and effort in developing scientific infrastructure while providing end-users with sufficient information to replicate and validate the advances presented. HardwareX is open to input from all scientific, technological and medical disciplines. Scientific infrastructure will be interpreted in the broadest sense. Including hardware modifications to existing infrastructure, sensors and tools that perform measurements and other functions outside of the traditional lab setting (such as wearables, air/water quality sensors, and low cost alternatives to existing tools), and the creation of wholly new tools for either standard or novel laboratory tasks. Authors are encouraged to submit hardware developments that address all aspects of science, not only the final measurement, for example, enhancements in sample preparation and handling, user safety, and quality control. The use of distributed digital manufacturing strategies (e.g. 3-D printing) is encouraged. All designs must be submitted under an open hardware license.