Speaker
Description
Electrolysis is a process that uses electrical energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Oxygen is produced at the anode. Hydrogen is produced at the cathode. Gas bubbles can cover reaction zones, disturb fluid flow, and reduce system efficiency. Therefore, effective bubble removal is critical to maintain performance. This study focuses on characterizing bubble transport in micrometer scale porous media using MicroParticle Image Velocimetry (μPIV). The experimental setup is designed solely to study transport and does not include actual electrodes or hydrogen but is representative of an actual electrolysis process by respecting similar non-dimensional numbers.
In this work, the simultaneous flow of gas and liquid phases in a microscale porous medium is experimentally characterized. The behavior of gas leaving the porous medium and entering the liquid channel is also analyzed. Local velocity distributions are measured with high spatial resolution using a high-resolution camera, laser, and synchronization system. Optical distortions are reduced by using refractive-index-matched fluids (e.g., ethyl salicylate or sodium iodide (NaI) solutions). Liquid and gas injection are precisely controlled with syringe pumps and a mass flow controller. The experiments generate a first dataset where the liquid velocity field measured by μPIV is coupled with bubble size, speed, detachment frequency, and coalescence behaviour, determined by image processing. The effect of initial velocities of both liquid and gas phases will be studied. The findings are expected to help optimize the design and operation of porous structures in applications such as fuel cells, water treatment, and biomedical devices.
Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge funding by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) of the Flemish Government, under the project with reference HBC.2023.0897.
| Country | Belgium |
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| Student Awards | I would like to submit this presentation into the Earth Energy Science (EES) and Capillarity Student Poster Awards. |
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