Computation of Current Distributions using FEMLAB

Abstract

An efficient method for the computation of current density and surface concentration distributions in electrochemical processes is analyzed using the commercial mathematical software FEMLAB. To illustrate the utility of the software, the procedure is applied to some realistic problems encountered in electrochemical engineering, such as current distribution in a continuous moving electrode, parallel plate electrode, hull cell, curvilinear hull cell, thin layer galvanic cell, through-hole plating, and a recessed disc electrode. The model equations of the above cases are considered and their implementations into the software, FEM-LAB, are analyzed. The technique is attractive because it involves a systematic way of coupling equations to perform case studies.

Analysis of commercial general engineering finite element software in electrochemical simulations

“…Holder et al probed the potential step response of scanning electrochemical-atomic force microscopy via 3D FEM simulation -results show that the response follows Cottrelian behaviour within acceptable limits [28]. Basha et al utilised 2D FEMLAB simulations to model various electrode situations, such as moving electrodes, parallel plate electrodes, hull cells, curvilinear hull cells, thin layer galvanic cells, through hold plating, and recessed disk electrodes, to find good agreement with previously published experiments [29]. Kitazumi has published a review on examples of FEM in electrochemistry, concluding that 'a well conditioned model is required, and it is of prime importance to take care during program use' [30].…”

Reproducing capacitive cyclic voltammetric curves by simulation: When are simplified geometries appropriate?

“…The applications are manifold. For example, numerical simulations might be useful to validate analytical models that are derived based on approximations whose correctness is not trivial to assess [4][5][6] or to reproduce experimental data while extracting model parameters that are not easy to find directly neither from the experiments nor from analytical models [7]. On the contrary, the main drawback of FEMs is that simulations can be time demanding and may require high computational resources when one has to fit experimental results over a large number of unknown parameters.…”

Probing the Numerical Convergence of a Commercial Finite Element Software in Electrochemical Simulations

“…Only few papers address the question of the numerical accuracy but without any convergence study. Basha and coworkers 22 introduced a semi-analytical procedure to obtain solutions for steady state laminar convection diffusion problems and then compared them with solutions simulated by FEM. Santillo et al 23 present an overview of the microfluidic devices modeling through finite element packages.…”