Hydrodynamic and electrochemical modeling of vanadium redox flow battery

¹ Department of Energy Engineering, College of Environmental and Energy Tehran Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Poonak, Hesarak, 1477893855, Tehran, Iran
² Chemical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
³ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tabriz University, Tehran, Iran

^a Corresponding author: a.ozgoli@srbiau.ac.ir

Received: 14 February 2014
Accepted: 22 August 2014

Abstract

Two and three dimensional modeling of a single cell of vanadium redox flow battery has been done thoroughly according to electrochemical and fluid mechanic equations in this study. The modeling has been done in stationary state and its results have been presented in three chemical, electrical and mechanical sub models. The parametric analysis on some of important factors in cell operation demonstrated that increase in electrode and membrane conductivity and electrode porosity contributes to electric potential increase in cells. Also operational temperature increase leads to decrease in cells‘ voltage. Better fluid distribution on the electrode surface area results in better cell operation, therefore the electrolyte flow distribution form in cell has been studied by designing different flow frames. Modified Navier-Stokes equations have been used in these calculations for porous media. The most coverage on electrode surface and low pressure loss had been the best case criteria.