Void Fraction and Current Density Distributions in a Water Electrolysis Cell
Void Fraction and Current Density Distributions in a Water Electrolysis Cell
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水电解槽中的空隙率和电流密度分布
DOI：
10.1149/1.2411770
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发表时间：
1969
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
J. F. Thorpe
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
J. Funk;J. F. Thorpe
定义在电解槽中发生的稳态条件的分析基础陈述。几个假设允许的理论确定的空隙率和电流密度分布。空隙率和进口速度对电池性能的影响。给出了在电解槽中发生的空隙率和滑移率的实验数据。结果表明，滑移率接近于1。这一结果是重要的，在确定的细胞空隙率分布，是先决条件的分析在电解槽中的压降。最近有一个新的兴趣在水电解过程。这是由于这一过程在空间和深海应用中的生命支持系统的潜力（1，2）。水电解过程也被认为是在大规模与工业综合体，可以淡化水，生产电力和其他产品，如氢，氧，氨，硝酸铵，硝酸（3，4）。这种复合体的能源可以是一个非常大的核反应堆，它将与一个大的电解槽系统（5）连接。在水电解槽的设计中，需要关于电极材料、电解质、电解槽控制以及两相流体动力学和传热的基本工程信息。特别是电流密度分布和压降是两个研究领域，其中很少有公开的数据。与这些问题同时发生的是预测电解槽中的空隙率（或滑移比）。本文介绍了两个研究计划（6），旨在满足这一需求的第一个的结果。第一个程序是在电解槽中的空隙率（或滑移率）的实验和分析调查。该方案是第二个研究方案的先决条件，该方案涉及电解槽中压降的实验研究。这两个程序都需要一个分析模型来减少实验数据。本文的第一部分介绍了分析基础，而后一节提出的空隙率和滑移率的数据。由于这项工作仍在进行中，压降数据和相关性将在单独的论文中介绍。
An analytical basis defining the steady-state conditions occurring in an electrolysis cell is stated. Several assumptions are made which permit a theoretical determination of the void fraction and current density distributions. The effect of void fraction and inlet velocity on cell performance is shown. Experimental data for the void fraction and slip ratio occurring in an electrolysis cell are presented. It is found that the slip ratio is near unity. This result is of importance in defining the cell void fraction distributions and is prerequisite to an analysis of pressure drop in electrolysis cells.There has been a renewed interest recently in the water electrolysis process. This is due to the potential of this process for life support systems in both space and deep-sea applications (1, 2). The water electrolysis process is also being considered on a large scale in connection with industrial complexes which can desalt water, produce power and other products such as hydrogen, oxygen, ammonia, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid (3, 4). The energy source for such a complex could be a very large nuclear reactor which would be coupled to a large electrolyzer system (5). In the design of water electrolyzers there is a need for basic engineering information concerning electrode materials, electrolytes, electrolyzer control, and the two-phase hydrodynamics and heat transfer. The current density distribution and the pressure drop, in particular, are two areas of research in which there is little published data. Concurrent with these problems is that of predicting the void fraction (or slip ratio) in an electrolysis cell. The present paper presents the results of the first of two research programs (6) designed to fill this need. The first program is an experimental and analytical investigation of void fraction (or slip ratio) in an electrolysis cell. This program is prerequisite to the second research program which involves an experimental investigation of pressure drop in an electrolysis cell. Both programs require an analytical model for experimental data reduction. The first part of this paper presents the analytical basis while the later section presents the void fraction and slip ratio data. The pressure drop data and correlations will be presented in a separate paper since this work is still in progress.