Synergistic effects of magnetic fields and flow velocity on hydrogen bubble dynamics in water electrolysis

By systematically regulating the magnetic field intensity and electrolyte flow rate, this study investigates the coupling effects of magnetic fields and flow velocity on hydrogen bubble dynamics during water electrolysis. A model of hydrogen bubble dynamics was used to analyze nucleation, growth, and detachment mechanisms under magnetic-flow coupling, determining key parameters such as growth radius and detachment speed. The dynamic evolution of hydrogen bubbles was comprehensively analyzed under both static and dynamic flow conditions. Electrochemical measurements revealed that increasing the magnetic field intensity from 0 T to 0.3 T enhanced the current density by 9.61 % at 0 cm/s and 6.67 % at 1 cm/s flow rates. These results suggest that magnetic-flow coupling reduces concentration polarization and overpotential. However, the enhancement effect gradually diminished with increasing flow velocity. Visualization experiments further confirmed that the coupling between magnetic field and flow velocity significantly promoted bubble oscillation, coalescence, and detachment, thereby improving electrolysis performance.