Kinetic study of electrochemically produced hydrogen bubbles on Pt electrodes with tailored geometries

Understanding bubbles evolution kinetics on electrodes with varied geometries is of fundamental importance for advanced electrodes design in gas evolution reaction.In this work,the evolution kinetics of electro-generated hydrogen bubbles are recorded in situ on three(i.e.smooth,nanoporous,and nanoarray)Pt electrodes to identify the geometry dependence.The bubble radius shows a time-dependent growth kinetic,which is tightly-connected to the electrode geometry.Among the three electrodes,the smooth one shows a typical time coefficient of 0.5,in consistence with reported values;the nanoporous one shows a time coefficient of 0.47,less than the classic one(0.5);while the nanoarray one exhibits fastest bubble growth kinetics with a time coefficient higher than 0.5(0.54).Moreover,the nanoarray electrode has the smallest bubble detachment size and the largest growth coefficient(23.3)of all three electrodes.Based on the experimental results,a growth model combined direct bottom-injection with micro-convection is proposed to illustrate the surface geometry dependent coefficients,i.e.,the relationship between geometry and bubble evolution kinetics.The direct injection of generated gas molecules from the bottom of bubbles at the three phase boundaries are believed the key to tailor the bubble wetting states and thus determine the bubble evolution kinetics.

Influence of the electrolyte conductivity on the critical current density and the breakdown voltage

The work investigates influence of the electrolyte conductivity on the onset of partial contact glow discharge electrolysis(CGDE)in a water electrolysis.Critical current density(CCD)and breakdown voltage were measured together with in situ observation of hydrogen bubble behavior,whose influence has not been focused on.For a fixed current during normal electrolysis,hydrogen coalescence adjacent to cathode surface was invigorated at a lower conductivity.Photographic analyses elucidated the hydrogen coalescence characteristics by quantifying size and population of detached hydrogen bubbles.The CCD increased about 104% within given range of conductivity(11.50-127.48 mS·cm^(-1))due to impaired bubble coalescence,which delays hydrogen film formation on the cathode.Meanwhile,decreasing trend of breakdown voltage was measured with increased conductivity showing maximum drop of 74%.It is concluded that onset of partial CGDE is directly affected by hydrodynamic bubble behaviors,whereas the electrolyte conductivity affects the bubble formation characteristics adjacent to cathode electrode.

Effects of T-S wave amplitude on the control of boundary layer transition by streaks

The effects of streaks on boundary layer transition depend on the initial amplitude of T-S waves introduced to excite the transition. This problem was studied in a flat-plate boundary layer in water tunnel by using hydrogen bubble method. Three T-S wave initial amplitudes were tested. The results show that both narrow and wide-spacing streaks depress the transition excited by T-S waves with lower initial amplitude. However, when transition is excited by T-S waves of higher initial amplitude, the narrow-spacing streaks depress the transition, while the wide-spacing streaks promote the transition. Futrther the underlying mechanisms were also analyzed.

VISUALIZATION OF FLOW STRUCTURES IN A TURBULENT BOUNDARY LAYER USING A NEW TECHNIQUE

In this paper, an experimental investigation on the flow structures in a turbulent bounda- ry layer employing a special laser light sheet-Hydrogen bubble flow visualization technique is described. It is observed that the high/low speed streaks are directly related to the hairpin or horseshoe-like vortices. This observation can give a better understanding of the physical mechanism in the turbulent boundary layer.

Discharge Control on Boundary of Tidal Models and Measuring Techniques of Low Current Velocity

This paper describes the discharge control technique on boundary used in two models, one is the model of hot water drainning in Dayawan Nyclear Power Plant, Guangdong, and the other is the model for trainhing the sand bar at the Guanhe Estuary, Jiangsu. Many years of application shows that this technique has the advantages of good reliability, repeatability and validity. The speedometer of hydrogen bubble is also introduced in this paper. The device can display and store tracing lines in a computer, and help operators to obtain the value and direction of transient velocity of a nonsteady current, thus, the problem of measurment of low current velocity in tidal model tests is solved and the automation of the measurement of current velocity is realized.

Near-wall topological patterns and flow structures over a simplified Danaus plexippus model

Studies on the high-lift mechanisms of butterfly gliding flights shed light on the design of the micro air vehicles.The flow field around a simplified Danaus plexippus model is investigated using the hydrogen bubble visualization and the Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV)techniques.There are three near-wall topological patterns with different Angles of Attack(AoAs):the separation bubble,the Leading-Edge Vortex(LEV)and the high Ao As flow.For the separation bubble pattern,two saddles and two foci form in the middle of the model.The features of the LEV pattern are the leading-edge separation lines.The topological characteristics of the separation lines are changed by the interaction between the LEV and the Wing-Tip Vortex(WTV).For the high Ao As flow pattern,four unstable foci are found at the forewing and the hindwing respectively.The angle between the trajectory of the WTV and the model increases with increasing Ao A even though the slope of the WTV angle versus Ao A curve declines at the moderate AoAs.