Physicochemical properties of ZnSO4-H2SO4-H2O electrolytes of relevance to zinc electrowinning

To facilitate the optimization of and/or design of zinc electrowinning reactors, certain properties of zinc electrolytes, which are functions of electrolyte composition and temperature, have been investigated through a literature review that has been complemented, where applicable, by theoretical calculations. A new set of Pitzer model parameters has been determined for ZnSO4-H2SO4-H2O solutions from an examination of isopiestic data. Empirical correlations for zinc electrolyte conductivity, absolute viscosity, and density have also been examined. An expression for predicting the diffusion coefficient of zinc ions in acidic zinc sulfate solutions was also developed