Ion motion in salt water flowing under a transverse magnetic field

Abstract

The problem of ion motion in an electrolyte solution flowing in a thin rectangular duct with velocity VE in the presence of a transverse magnetic field B0 is studied by means of classical mechanics and electrodynamics. Because of Lorentz force on the ions in the electrolyte solution, a so called Faraday voltage appears at the electrodes orthogonal to both the field B0 and the velocity VE. The dynamics of positive and negative ions (cations and anions, respectively) in this classical system is studied by taking into account the viscosity of the fluid and the process of charge accumulation on the opposite walls of the duct. Hydrogen production is seen to take place at one of the electrodes when salt water is taken as the flowing electrolyte.