Numerical modelling of ECMM of micro-dimples considering the effect of 3-phase electrolyte

Abstract Electrochemical surface texturing is a complex process consisting of two-phase fluid dynamics, unsteady state heat transfer, mass transfer, electrochemistry, etc., between moving boundaries. There are no anode shape prediction models for surface texturing because of the complications involved in the process. The models available for electrochemical micromachining (ECMM) are incomplete because most of them ignore the influence of sludge and gas bubbles produced during the electrochemical dissolution. In this article, a modified anode shape prediction model considering the evolution of heat, sludge and H2 bubbles have been proposed for ECMM of micro-dimples. Comparison of simulated and experimental anode profiles reveals a satisfactory agreement between the two. In addition, a comparison has been made between the proposed model and the models, which do not consider the effect of generation of sludge and gas bubbles on the conductivity of the electrolyte.