Fluid Dynamics of an Electrochemical Flow Reactor with Different Gas Diffusion Electrodes for In Situ Hydrogen Peroxide Production

This study integrates macromixing and micromixing methodologies to characterize an electrochemical reactor with a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations validated by residence time distribution (RTD) data. It experimentally evaluates two types of GDEs for H₂O₂ accumulation and uses the validated CFD model to evaluate the distribution of H₂O₂ in the reactor. The tanks-in-series (T-I-S) model provides a qualitative understanding of the fluid’s macroscopic behavior, while the transition SST model analyzes the fluid’s microscopic dynamics and turbulence zones. The study reveals a significant convergence of current density, volumetric flow rate, and GDE type for H₂O₂ production. The optimal experimental configuration (carbon/PTFE/fabric with Q = 50 L h^–1) was evaluated through CFD simulations in the distribution of H₂O₂ at different flow rates. These results improve our understanding of the hydrodynamics of the electrochemical reactor and offer prospects for optimizing the H₂O₂ generation and accumulation processes.