Numerical Simulation of the saline water electrolysis process using electromagnetic waves

The microwave irradiation has used to speed up chemical reactions in comparison of conventional reactions. Because the electromagnetic waves cause increasing the molecular vibrations. Energy consumption is reduced by using electromagnetic waves. As a results, electrodes corrosion rate is reduces. In this article, a numerical method has been used to compare saline water electrolysis (EL) and saline water electromagnetic electrolysis reactor (EMER). Axisymmetric geometry is considered in simulations and steady and frequency dependent analysis are conducted. Continuity equations and Navier-Stocks equation for fluid flow, and Nernest-Planck equation for mass transfer flow and maxwell equation for electromagnetic waves modeling are taken into the account. At the first, the effect of electromagnetic waves on the ion separation has been investigated. Results have shown that an obvious enhancement has been occurred in ion separation due to electromagnetic irradiation. The dechlorination in EMER process has been improved more than three times in compare with EL process. Also, the ion separation has been enhanced linearly by increasing the cell potential and initial salinity. Quantitative results of each parameters are shown in the paper.