HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE PRODUCTION IN TRICKLE-BED ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTORS

A trickle bed electrochemical reactor has been developed for the production of dilute alkaline peroxide solutions by reduction of oxygen. Oxygen gas and sodium hydroxide flow concurrently downward through a cell which consists of a thin packed cathode bed of graphite particles separated from the anode plate by a porous diphragm. Current flows perpendicular to the flow of electrolyte. The effects of current density, oxygen pressure and flow rate, electrolyte concentration and flow rate, graphite particle size, bed thickness and length were investigated. In 2 M NaOH peroxide solutions of 0.8 M have been produced at 60% efficiency with current densities of 1200 A m-2 and cell voltages of 1.8 V. A bipolar cell stack consisting of five cells has been tested. © 1979 Chapman and Hall Ltd.