Solving an Electrical Engineering Challenge with a Tank of Electrolyte Liquid

[Hraabo]

TL;DR

electrical engineering project.

So I am working on a project where I have a tank, which has a volume of electrolyte liquid inside it. This is coupled to a battery which charges it, and gives it energy. I will have a copperband arround it, so i can measure a potential voltage from the electrical field.

So what I need to figure out, is how to make numerical and analytical approach to this. Problem is, that I am stuck at this problem solving. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to start it? I need to see this problem from an electrical point of view, and not from a electric chemical point of view.

I was thinking of using Gauss' law in some way, but, what i know of it, we've used it in regards of wires and solid conductors, not tanks with electrolyte liquids, which makes me question the method.

hoping for some help or insight.

thank you in advance

 

[Baluncore]

So what I need to figure out, is how to make numerical and analytical approach to this.

What are you trying to do with the tank.
What is it about the tank of electrolyte you want to simulate or calculate?

 

[Hraabo]

In the end want to know what know what voltage I can expect to measure, if I put some sort of conductor around the tank.

 

[DaveE]

Just off the top of my head, here are some suggestions to start with:

Step 1: Define everything you can about this problem; all of the materials, dimensions, external inputs, answers desired, etc.

Step 2: Make a drawing (engineering style, not art). This combined with step 1, should be able to fully explain the problem to someone else. The side benefit is that it will also explain it to yourself.

Step 3: This problem sounds like there may be simplifications or symmetries you can take advantage of. For example, if you get to design the tank, make it cylindrical, rectangular, etc. whatever will make the analysis easier. Make, if possible, and use symmetries to simplify the analysis. For example, you may see that the e-field on the left has to be the same as the e-field on the right.

 

[Baluncore]

In the end want to know what know what voltage I can expect to measure, if I put some sort of conductor around the tank.

The tank of electrolyte will need two electrodes to polarise it with an electric field. It is really an electrolytic capacitor. As the capacitor is first charged, a current will flow through the electrode connections, to the plates. An identical displacement current will flow as the electrolyte molecules align themselves to the field. That current will generate a magnetic field about the conductors and tank. We now come to an orientation question.

If the tank is a vertical axis cylinder, with flat plates at the top and the bottom, with the loop about the equator, half way between the plates, then there will be NO voltage induced in the copper loop since it is aligned with the circular magnetic field about the tank.

What other orientations are possible?
Will the circular magnetic field (generated by the displacement current), then pass through the loop, and so generate a voltage in the loop, or will it run parallel?

If the copper loop was replaced by a toroidal magnetic core, and a small coil wound about part of that core, you would get a voltage pulse when charging, or discharging the tank of electrolyte.

I think it is time for someone to draw a diagram.

 

[DaveE]

In the end want to know what know what voltage I can expect to measure, if I put some sort of conductor around the tank.

Voltage with respect to what? Voltmeters have two probes.