Industrial Electrochemical Synthesis Processes: Recent Developments in Reactor Design

Abstract This review considers the design methods and recent developments in reactor selection for industrial electrochemical synthesis. The scope of electrosynthesis is reviewed, together with the reactor technology required to provide commercially viable operation. Improvements in reaction engineering techniques as applied to electrochemical synthesis, both inorganic and organic, will continue to provide developments in this valuable and important sector of the process industries. Part I provides a classification of electrochemical synthesis reactions in terms of direct and indirect processes, and reviews the application of electrosynthesis in the production of organic and inorganic chemicals. Part II considers the important design factors in the development of electrochemical processes and their limitations. These include aspects of productivity, energy requirements, mass transport, electrode and membrane materials. Part II The final part of this review describes the design of electrochemical reactors used for both organic and inorganic synthesis, to ensure that the electrochemical cell is an efficient and economic unit for industrial use. The designs include reactors which use either two‐dimensional or three‐dimensional electrodes. Recent examples of the use of such reactors are described. A brief overview of reaction engineering principles is included in the context of both single‐phase and two‐phase fluid systems.