Direct numerical simulation of electroconvective instability and hysteretic current-voltage response of a permselective membrane

Abstract

We present a systematic, multiscale, fully detailed numerical modeling for dynamics of fluid flow and ion transport covering Ohmic, limiting, and overlimiting current regimes in conductance of ion-selective membrane. By numerically solving the Poisson-Nernst-Planck-Navier-Stokes equations, it is demonstrated that the electroconvective instability, arising from the electric field acting upon the extended space charge layer, and the induced strong vortical fluid flow are the dominant factors of the overlimiting current in the planar membrane system. More importantly, at the transition between the limiting and the overlimiting current regimes, hysteresis of electric current is identified. The hysteresis demonstrates the important role of the electroconvective flow in enhancing of current in electrolyte systems with ion-selective membrane. © 2012 American Physical Society.