Pressure drop analysis on the positive half-cell of a cerium redox flow battery using computational fluid dynamics: mathematical and modelling aspects of porous media

Abstract

Description of electrolyte fluid dynamics in the electrode compartments by mathematical models can be a powerful tool in the development of redox flow batteries (RFBs) and other electrochemical reactors. In order to determine their predictive capability, turbulent Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and free flow plus porous media (Brinkman) models were applied to compute local fluid velocities taking place in a rectangular channel electrochemical flow cell used as the positive half-cell of a cerium-based RFB for laboratory studies. Two different platinized titanium electrodes were considered, a plate plus a turbulence promoter and an expanded metal mesh. Calculated pressure drop was validated against experimental data obtained with typical cerium electrolytes. It was found that the pressure drop values were better described by the RANS approach, whereas the validity of Brinkman equations was strongly dependent on porosity and permeability values of the porous media.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

CFD simulation / porous media / porous electrode / pressure drop / redox flow battery

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Acknowledgements

BMA is grateful to CONACYT for MSc scholarship No. 468574 and for funding an academic visit to the University of Southampton. LFA thanks professor Andrew Cruden, head of the Energy Technology Research Group of the University of Southampton, for granting additional support to present this work at ModVal 2019 in Braunschweig, Germany.‚

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