Three-dimensional numerical study on hydrogen bubble growth at electrode

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Qin, Wei, Long, Tian, Maarek, Jacob, Zaleski, Stéphane
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Qin, Wei
Long, Tian
Maarek, Jacob
Zaleski, Stéphane
author_facet Qin, Wei
Long, Tian
Maarek, Jacob
Zaleski, Stéphane
contents Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of electrolysis is applied to investigate the growth and detachment of bubbles at electrodes. The moving gas-liquid interface is modeled employing the VOF-based method. To ensure the accuracy of the simulations, a mesh-independence study has been performed. The simulations include the growth phase of the bubbles, followed by their detachment from the electrode surface, and the results are validated with analytical models and experimental data. The bubble growth is diffusion-controlled, leading to the scaling \(R\propto t^{1/2}\), but our simulation overpredicts the growth exponent during the initial stage. We further demonstrate that the number of nucleation sites significantly affects gas transport, as quantified by the Sherwood number. The influences of contact angle and nucleation site on bubble detachment are also examined. The predicted detachment radius varies linearly with contact angle, consistent with Fritz's linear relation between the volume-equivalent radius and contact angle, confirming that the surface tension is the dominant attachment force. Finally, as the nucleation sites increase, the induced bubble coalescence accelerates the bubble detachment. Taken together, these findings give us valuable insights into improving gas bubble removal and enhancing overall electrolysis efficiency.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_15582
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Three-dimensional numerical study on hydrogen bubble growth at electrode
Qin, Wei
Long, Tian
Maarek, Jacob
Zaleski, Stéphane
Fluid Dynamics
Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of electrolysis is applied to investigate the growth and detachment of bubbles at electrodes. The moving gas-liquid interface is modeled employing the VOF-based method. To ensure the accuracy of the simulations, a mesh-independence study has been performed. The simulations include the growth phase of the bubbles, followed by their detachment from the electrode surface, and the results are validated with analytical models and experimental data. The bubble growth is diffusion-controlled, leading to the scaling \(R\propto t^{1/2}\), but our simulation overpredicts the growth exponent during the initial stage. We further demonstrate that the number of nucleation sites significantly affects gas transport, as quantified by the Sherwood number. The influences of contact angle and nucleation site on bubble detachment are also examined. The predicted detachment radius varies linearly with contact angle, consistent with Fritz's linear relation between the volume-equivalent radius and contact angle, confirming that the surface tension is the dominant attachment force. Finally, as the nucleation sites increase, the induced bubble coalescence accelerates the bubble detachment. Taken together, these findings give us valuable insights into improving gas bubble removal and enhancing overall electrolysis efficiency.
title Three-dimensional numerical study on hydrogen bubble growth at electrode
topic Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.15582