Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Vol.36, No.7, 827-833, 2006
Steady-state mass transport between a thin liquid layer separating a fixed (stationary) and a rotating disk in laminar flow
This work deals with experimental steady-state mass transport at the electrodes of thin cells employing a fixed disk and a disk rotating at low angular velocities. Theoretical solutions in the literature for mass transport to fixed disks under such laminar Bodewadt flow conditions are reviewed. In the experiments, four pairs of disks (1-3 cm dia) were used, with gap thickness H between the disks varying from 0.5 to 3 mm. The rotational Reynolds number based on H varied from 0.5 to 100. Mass transport rates to the rotating disk are higher than to the fixed disk in agreement with previous results and they extend the range of hitherto known measurements. The relationship for a uniformly rotating liquid overestimates the results with respect to theoretical ones for a fixed disk, and an additional relationship (not yet verified theoretically) shows a satisfactory agreement with experimental findings at low values of the Reynolds number. A general empirical correlation is established for each disk. Mass transport to the fixed disk is theoretically analyzed by assuming that the inviscid liquid core near the disk rotates nearly 30% slower than the rotating disk.