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A Protocol for Electrochemical Evaluations and State of Charge Diagnostics of a Symmetric Organic Redox Flow Battery
Published on: February 13, 2017
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Enhanced Reactant Distribution in Redox Flow Cells
Nicholas Gurieff1, Declan Finn Keogh2, Victoria Timchenko3
1School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. n.gurieff@unsw.edu.au.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 31, 2019
Summary
Static mixers improve vanadium redox flow battery (VRB/VRFB) performance by enhancing reactant distribution. This research shows a 60% increase in V3+ concentration, boosting cell voltage and suggesting pathways for higher efficiency in grid-scale energy storage.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage Systems
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are crucial for grid-scale energy storage and decarbonization.
- Current flow-through designs face limitations due to concentration gradients, impacting performance.
- Cell geometry modifications are being explored to overcome mass transport limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel concept of redistributing reactants within the flow frame of RFBs.
- To investigate the impact of static mixers on reactant distribution and cell performance in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRB/VRFB).
- To demonstrate a potential pathway for increasing limiting current density and cycle efficiencies.
Main Methods:
- Simulations of vanadium redox flow battery (VRB/VRFB) cells incorporating static mixers.
- Analysis of V3+ concentration gradients under different flow conditions.
- Evaluation of cell voltage improvements and reduction in concentration overpotential.
Main Results:
- A 60% improvement in minimum V3+ concentration was achieved through the application of static mixers.
- Enhanced reactant distribution led to a reduction in concentration overpotential.
- The study suggests a significant potential for improving cell voltage and overall RFB performance.
Conclusions:
- Static mixers offer a promising strategy for optimizing reactant distribution in VRFBs.
- Improved reactant distribution directly translates to enhanced cell voltage and reduced overpotential.
- This approach provides a viable pathway to increase limiting current density and cycle efficiencies for grid-scale RFBs.
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