Potentiodynamic and Galvanodynamic Regimes of Mass Transfer in Flow-Through Electrodialysis Membrane Systems: Numerical Simulation of Electroconvection and Current-Voltage Curve

Electromembrane devices are usually operated in two electrical regimes: potentiodynamic (PD), when a potential drop in the system is set, and galvanodynamic (GD), when the current density is set. This article theoretically investigates the current-voltage curves (CVCs) of flow-through electrodialysis membrane systems calculated in the PD and GD regimes and compares the parameters of the electroconvective vortex layer for these regimes. The study is based on numerical modelling using a basic model of overlimiting transfer enhanced by electroconvection with a modification of the boundary conditions. The Dankwerts’ boundary condition is used for the ion concentration at the inlet boundary of the membrane channel. The Dankwerts’ condition allows one to increase the accuracy of the numerical implementation of the boundary condition at the channel inlet. On the CVCs calculated for PD and DG regimes, four main current modes can be distinguished: underlimiting, limiting, overlimiting, and chaotic overlimiting. The effect of the electric field regime is manifested in overlimiting current modes, when a significant electroconvection vortex layer develops in the channel.