PULSED ELECTROGENERATION OF BUBBLES FOR ELECTROFLOTATION

Fine bubbles of the size required for many processes such as electroflotation can be generated by electrolysis. A large number of factors such as electrode material, electrode surface/morphological properties, pH and current density affect the gas bubble size distribution. This work is aimed at studies on the effect of interrupted current (pulsed) electrolysis on the generation of gas bubbles. A microcomputer-controlled current source designed to generate the required pulses is described along with typical results obtained with this system. It was observed that a decrease in duty cycle at a given pH and average current density causes an increase in fine sized bubbles and concomitant increase in bubble flux. A mechanism based on local potential gradients is proposed to explain this phenomenon