Magnetic control of mass transfer and convection in electrochemical processes

Outside the classical domains of magnetohydrodynamics, plasmas and
liquid metals, the action of electromagnetic forces can be observed as
well in electrolytes. The talk will start with examples on the control
of flat plate boundary layers and separated flows and discuss their
effectiveness and efficiency. Stationary as well as periodic Lorentz
forces are thematized in this context and proof to be a versatile tool
for research while high energy demand limits their applicability for
naval applications. Switching the context to electrochemical
processes, where an electrical current is inherently present,
alleviates the question of energy demand and opens-up a large field of
additional topics: Improved mass transfer can be used to increase the
limiting current density and thereby the space-time yield of
processes. Efficiency of water electrolyzers benefits from accelerated
removal of bubbles from the electrodes. Magnetic gradient forces can
assist in the build-up of nano-structured ferromagnetic layers using
comparably cheap electrochemical technology.