Abstract
Due to the presence of gas bubbles on the electrode surface and in the interelectrode gap during water electrolysis, the ohmic resistance in the cell increases. The main aim of this investigation is to obtain insight into the effect of the gas void distribution on the ohmic resistance in the electrolysis cell. The gas void distribution perpendicular to the electrode surface has been determined at various current densities, solution flow velocities and heights in the cell, taking high speed motion pictures. From these measurements it follows that two bubble layers can be distinguished. The current density distribution and the ohmic resistance in the electrolysis cell have been determined using a segmented nickel electrode. The current density decreases at increasing height in the cell. The effect is more pronounced at low solution flow velocities and high current densities. A new model to calculate the ohmic resistance in the cell is proposed.
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Abbreviations
- A l :
-
electrolyte area (m2)
- c :
-
constant (−)
- d wm :
-
distance between the working electrode and the diaphragm resp. the tip of the Luggin capillary (m)
- E :
-
voltage of an operating cell (V)
- f :
-
gas void fraction (−)
- F :
-
Faraday constant (C/mol)
- f 0 :
-
gas void fraction at the electrode surface (−)
- f b :
-
gas void fraction in the bulk electrolyte (−)
- h :
-
height from the bottom of the working electrode (m)
- h r :
-
reference height (= 1 cm) (m)
- H :
-
total height of the electrode (m)
- i :
-
current density (A m−2)
- i av :
-
average current density (A m−2)
- i r :
-
reference current density (= 1 kA m−2) (A m−2)
- R :
-
resistance (Ω)
- R′ :
-
specific resistance (Ωm)
- R″ :
-
unit surface resistance (μm2)
- R 1 :
-
resistance of the first bubble layer (Ω)
- R 2 :
-
resistance of the second bubble layer (Ω)
- R cell :
-
ohmic resistance in the cell (Ω)
- R b :
-
bubble radius (m)
- s l :
-
degree of screening by bubbles in the electrolyte (−)
- ν l :
-
liquid flow velocity (m s−1)
- ν 1, r :
-
reference liquid flow velocity (= l m s−1) (m s−1)
- V M :
-
molar gas volume (m3 mol−1)
- w :
-
width of the electrode (m)
- x :
-
distance from the electrode surface (m)
- δ:
-
thickness of the bubble layer adjacent to the electrode (m)
- ψ :
-
number of bubbles generated per unit surface area and unit time (m−2 s−1)
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Bongenaar-Schlenter, B.E., Janssen, L.J.J., Van Stralen, S.J.D. et al. The effect of the gas void distribution on the ohmic resistance during water electrolytes. J Appl Electrochem 15, 537–548 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01059295
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01059295