Velocity measurements and concentration field visualizations in natural convection copper electrolysis under magnetic field influence

The effect of magnetic fields on momentum and mass transfer in electrochemical processes has been studied by means of Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV), shadowgraphy and mean current
density measurements.

Chronoamperometric copper electrolysis was carried out in a small electrolytic cell (29x46x6 mm) made mainly from PMMA. The sidewalls forming the vertical electrodes consist of thin copper plates behind
which permanent magnets could be fixed. The Lorentz force generated from the faradaic currents and the permanent magnets field has been always parallel to the electrodes. Depending on the orientation of the magnets, downwards or upwards directed Lorentz forces could be generated.

The moderate magnetic field of permanent magnets placed behind the electrodes, although its action is limited to the vicinity of the electrodes, is able to promote convection in the whole cell. Flow
structures measured by DPIV compare very well with the patterns of the concentration field given by shadography. Steady state limiting current densities as well as initially instationary current density
values can be explained by the corresponding velocity measurements. It will be shown that the interplay of Lorentz and buoyancy forces is substantial for the resulting flow structure.