A Study of Gas Evolution in a Rotating
Cell Under Reduced Gravity Conditions
Case Western Reserve University
As space travel becomes more advanced and involved, so do the
demands on the life support systems. Space exploration has been limited to
relatively short-term missions due to the necessity of replenishing
supplies. For long-term missions, advanced life support systems must be
able to completely recycle air and water and achieve maximal reuse of solid
waste. They must also be reliable and safe while meeting astringent size,
weight, and power requirements. These systems will consist of
physiochemical and biological components, designed specifically for each
individual mission. A major problem in the design of these systems is the
lack of knowledge about fluid and fluid/gas interactions in space.
The proposed project deals with the problem of gas evolution from
electrochemical reactions. Adequate knowledge of electrochemistry related
to bubble generation on electrodes is critical to the design of advanced
life support systems. Here, a rotating electrolysis concept is introduced
as a plan for improving mass transfer and bubble removal in reduced
gravity.
To achieve these aims, a detailed study of the bubble layer formation and
behavior and the resulting mass transfer in an actual reduced gravity
environment is needed. On a parabolic flight, due to the short periods of
microgravity, only the bubble layer formation will be studied. The bubble
layer along the electrode surface will be illuminated by a laser sheet and
a video camera will record the process. From the pictures, the bubble
layer thickness distribution, bubble velocities, bubble sizes, and void
fraction will be determined. This will allow the effects of bubble
formation on mass transfer to the electrode, and on the overall efficiency
of the electrolytic cell to be studied.
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