Journal article
3-D pore-scale resolved model for coupled species/charge/fluid transport in a vanadium redox flow battery
Electrochimica acta, v 64, pp 46-64
01 Mar 2012
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) has emerged as a viable grid-scale energy storage technology that offers cost-effective energy storage solutions for renewable energy applications. In this paper, a novel methodology is introduced for modeling of the transport mechanisms of electrolyte flow, species and charge in the VRFB at the pore scale of the electrodes; that is, at the level where individual carbon fiber geometry and electrolyte flow are directly resolved. The detailed geometry of the electrode is obtained using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and calibrated against experimentally determined pore-scale characteristics (e.g., pore and fiber diameter, porosity, and surface area). The processed XCT data is then used as geometry input for modeling of the electrochemical processes in the VRFB. The flow of electrolyte through the pore space is modeled using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) while the finite volume method (FVM) is used to solve the coupled species and charge transport and predict the performance of the VRFB under various conditions. An electrochemical model using the Butler–Volmer equations is used to provide species and charge coupling at the surfaces of the carbon fibers. Results are obtained for the cell potential distribution, as well as local concentration, overpotential and current density profiles under galvanostatic discharge conditions. The cell performance is investigated as a function of the electrolyte flow rate and external drawing current. The model developed here provides a useful tool for building the structure–property–performance relationship of VRFB electrodes.
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Details
- Title
- 3-D pore-scale resolved model for coupled species/charge/fluid transport in a vanadium redox flow battery
- Creators
- Gang Qiu - Complex Fluids and Multiphase Transport Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAAbhijit S Joshi - Complex Fluids and Multiphase Transport Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAC.R Dennison - Electrochemical Energy Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAK.W Knehr - Electrochemical Energy Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAE.C Kumbur - Electrochemical Energy Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAYing Sun - Complex Fluids and Multiphase Transport Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Publication Details
- Electrochimica acta, v 64, pp 46-64
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000301617300007
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84862792011
- Other Identifier
- 991014878072004721
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InCites Highlights
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- Web of Science research areas
- Electrochemistry