Pre-design model for redox flow battery design

• Published in: Journal of mechanical science and technology Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 1025 - 1032
• Main Authors: Choi, Yun Young, Oh, Geunwoo, Choi, Jung-Il, Kim, Youngkwon, Kim, Ki Jae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers 01.03.2018; Springer Nature B.V; 대한기계학회
• Subjects: Circuit design; Circuits; Computational fluid dynamics; Configuration management; Control; Current distribution; Dynamical Systems; Engineering; Flow velocity; Industrial and Production Engineering; Mathematical models; Mechanical Engineering; Parameter estimation; Pressure drop; Rechargeable batteries; Stress concentration; Vibration; 기계공학; Pump power; Shunt current; Pipe network theory; Pressure drop; Electrical circuit analogy; Redox flow battery; Flow distribution
• ISSN: 1738-494X; 1976-3824
• DOI: 10.1007/s12206-018-0203-z

Owing to complex configurations and the multi-physics phenomenon in a Redox flow battery (RFB), designing an RFB flow frame through Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or experimentally requires high design costs. As an alternative approach, a compartment model can be applied to the design of an optimal RFB flow frame. In this study, we developed a pre-design model to estimate the parameters related to the energy efficiency of an RFB. A key factor of the proposed model is applying a classical pipe network theory and an electric circuit analogy to an RFB flow frame and stack. The pre-design model enables an estimation of the total pressure drop, flow rate distribution, and shunt current at the RFB cells or stack. Model-based estimates show good agreement with CFD and experimental results.