Electrochemical engineering

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

Student will be able to use acquired knowledge of electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering and applied it to industrial electrochemistry processes.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Fundamentals of physical chemistry - enrolled.

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

After the successfully passed exam student is able to:
- describe the components and processes in the electrochemical reactor
- explain the structure of electrified phase boundary
- differentiate between the concepts of polarization and overvoltage
- explain the causes of different overvoltage types
- set the voltage balance, material balance and energy balance
- ddistinguish between primary and secondary current distribution and potential
- indicate the main types of electrochemical reactors
- describe the basic methods of connecting electrodes and reactors in practice
- specify the materials used in electrochemical reactors manufacturing.

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

1st week: Introduction. Constituent parts and operation in electrochemical reactor. Electrochemical conversion - quantum lows.
2nd week: Electrified phase boundary. Thermodynamic of electrified phase boundary.
3rd week: Double-layer structure.
4th week: Electrochemical systems in non-equilibrium conditions. Anodic and cathodic processes.
5th week: Electrochemical reaction mechanism and rate determining step. Polarization and overpotential. Overpotential types
6th week: Electrochemical overpotential.
7th week: Diffusion overpotential. Reaction ovrepotential. Crystallization overpotential.
8th week: First test. Voltage balance and material balance in electrochemical reactor.
9th week: Energy balance in electrochemical reactor. Current efficiency. Transport phenomena in electrochemical system.
10th week: Dynamic of electrolyte solutions. Thermal effects in electrochemical reactor.
11th week: Distribution of current and potential in electrochemical reactor - primary and secondary distribution.
12th week: Technological demands in electrochemical engineering. Types of electrochemical reactors.
13th week: Monopolar and bipolar electrodes connecting. Electrical connection of multiple reactors on a common power source. Circulating of electrolyte.
14th week: Materials selection for construction of electrochemical reactors.
15th week: Second test.
Exercises: Electrolyte decomposition voltage. Electrogravimetric analysis. Determination of hydrogen overpotential on various metals. Electrochemical production of calcium gluconate. Electrorefining of silver. Distribution of potential during the electrolysis (plate shaped anode / ring shaped anode). Electrocatalysis - selection of an optimal electrode material. Determination of the dependence of the limiting current density on electrolyte flow rate.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Lecture attendance: 80 %. Laboratory exercises attendance: 100 %.