Cyclic computation of bubble growth in water electrolysis using a level-set approach

초록

A level-set method is extended to resolve cyclic hydrogen bubble growth during water electrolysis by incorporating microlayer evaporation and interfacial mass transfer. The proposed formulation accounts for hydrogen transport from the cathode through the electrolyte and microlayer, as well as vapor phase change, while accurately capturing spatial and temporal variations in microlayer thickness. Repetitive nucleation, growth, and detachment processes are computed over successive cycles until a quasi-periodic state is reached. The developed numerical framework reproduces bubble growth behaviors consistent with experimental observations when a variable contact-angle model is applied. Cyclic simulations reveal that dissolved hydrogen accumulated during bubble growth and remaining after bubble departure significantly affects subsequent growth behavior when the electrode size exceeds a certain characteristic length scale, whereas its influence remains limited for small electrodes. The cyclic behavior of bubble growth is analyzed in detail, and the influences of key parameters — including electrode size, current density, wall temperature, and contact angle — on hydrogen production and hydrogen evolution efficiency are systematically investigated. The results indicate that cyclic computation combined with microlayer transport modeling is essential for quantitatively predicting electrolysis performance under practical operating conditions. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.

키워드