The three-dimensional arrangement of the cathode weakens the bubble aggregation during the electrochemical water softening reaction

Abstract In the application of electrochemical water softening technology, bubbles on the electrode surface during growth and detachment can accumulate into a dense bubble film on the electrode surface, which significantly affects the softening efficiency. This work introduces a spatially arranged cathode to solve the problem of bubble accumulation in electrochemical water softening technology. Experimental results show that the spatial arrangement of the cathode weakens the accumulation of bubbles and is conducive to the softening reaction. Bubble accumulation occurs when bubbles, after detachment, are influenced by factors such as electrode structure and water flow rate during the rising process, which limits the detachment and migration of new bubbles and ions. The spatially arranged cathode shortens the distance that bubbles rise along the electrode surface in the vertical direction, and the result shows that the bubble distribution is more dispersed, and the ion migration capability is enhanced. This study provides a new development idea for electrochemical water softening technology.