Does the copper bar used for electrical conduction in an electrolyzer see its resistance increase after rusting?
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By how much has it increased? Does it have a significant impact on power consumption?
There is a change in resistance, and the loss is thermal loss which is proportional to the square of the current; when the current is high, this type of loss becomes significant
The moderator has already covered everything quite thoroughly. Since it’s rusted, an oxidizing agent can be used to treat the surface.
The electrical conductivity of copper is 1.72×10-8 Ω·m, while that of copper oxide is 1×10-3 Ω·m; one is a conductor and the other a semiconductor. The resistance definitely increases after rusting occurs, and the extent to which power consumption is affected depends on the degree of rusting
If the current is unstable, it has a significant impact
An increase in contact resistance at the rusted areas affects the electrical conductivity. On the one hand, the contact area will heat up, increasing the contact resistance and thereby reducing the electrical conductivity; as a result, the current in the main circuit will decrease and become unstable.
As for whether rust on the copper bars in the electrolyzer leads to an increase in resistance and has an impact on power consumption, I think it mainly depends on the area where the rusting occurs. 1. If the contact surface at the joints of the copper bars rusts, it can lead to an increase in contact resistance, which certainly affects power consumption. Since the current in the electrolyzer is very high, contact resistance has a significant impact on power consumption. 2. If the surface of the copper bar rusts, the cross-sectional area of the bar decreases as a result of the rusting, but this reduction is usually very small, and it has little impact on the resistance. I have never seen copper bars develop many pits due to rusting; generally, only a layer of patina forms. If the contact surface of the copper busbars is rusted, it is best to remove the rust, apply electrical compound grease afterward, and re-press the connections tightly. Otherwise, the contact area is more likely to heat up, which will further increase the contact resistance, creating a vicious cycle