Abstract
The mathematical model for the ionic mass transfer rate as well as the natural convective fluid motion in an unsupported CuSO4 aqueous electrolyte solution is developed and numerically analyzed. The effect of the confinement effects, such as the collision between natural convections and the effect caused by the existence of counter electrode, on natural convection is examined. The visualization of concentration field in a quasi two-dimensional (2-D) electrolytic cell by holographic interferometer had been reported previously. The cathodic electrodeposition of copper under microgravity in a drop shaft is compared with that in the terrestrial experiments. The calculated results also compare with the experimental observations. The differences of morphological variations of electrodeposited copper between 1-G and μ-G fields are discussed by means of the present numerical simulations. It is seen that the occurrence of plume driven by buoyancy affects the current density distribution significantly under 1-G field. Morphological variations of electrodeposited copper may reflect this dramatic change in the current density distribution.
