Multiple bulk-reaction asymptotics and the electrochemical pickling of steel

Asymptotic methods are used to explore the role of multiple homogeneous chemical reactions, water protolysis, and the disassociation of sulfuric acid in a recent numerical model for the industrial electrochemical pickling of steel. The analysis demonstrates the surprising result that, even though the asymptotic structure of the solution differs from that found when either one or both of the chemical reactions are neglected, the overall current density remains unchanged. Most importantly from an industrial perspective, the asymptotic model provides results of practical value for process design at a fraction of the computational cost of the earlier numerical model.