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Title: Comparing velocities and pressures in redox flow batteries with interdigitated and serpentine channels

Abstract

Abstract Serpentine channels adjacent to a thin, porous medium are a potentially attractive alternative to a conventional thick flow‐through electrode for redox flow batteries. The hydrodynamics of serpentine flow fields were investigated with computational fluid dynamics, a two‐dimensional model of the porous electrode based on Darcy's law, and a resistance network model at the scale of the active area. Predictions from the three models were used to map the available design space. The optimal electrode thickness, in terms of minimizing nonuniformity, was identified and compared to the result for an interdigitated flow field. Serpentine favors thicker electrodes and higher flows than interdigitated, in qualitative agreement with experimental findings. Furthermore, interdigitated designs deliver more uniform intraelectrode velocities and lower overall pressure drops than serpentine flow fields.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1]
  1. United Technologies Research Center East Hartford Connecticut
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1496645
Resource Type:
Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
AIChE Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: AIChE Journal Journal Volume: 65 Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0001-1541
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Macdonald, Malcolm, and Darling, Robert M. Comparing velocities and pressures in redox flow batteries with interdigitated and serpentine channels. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1002/aic.16553.
Macdonald, Malcolm, & Darling, Robert M. Comparing velocities and pressures in redox flow batteries with interdigitated and serpentine channels. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.16553
Macdonald, Malcolm, and Darling, Robert M. Fri . "Comparing velocities and pressures in redox flow batteries with interdigitated and serpentine channels". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.16553.
@article{osti_1496645,
title = {Comparing velocities and pressures in redox flow batteries with interdigitated and serpentine channels},
author = {Macdonald, Malcolm and Darling, Robert M.},
abstractNote = {Abstract Serpentine channels adjacent to a thin, porous medium are a potentially attractive alternative to a conventional thick flow‐through electrode for redox flow batteries. The hydrodynamics of serpentine flow fields were investigated with computational fluid dynamics, a two‐dimensional model of the porous electrode based on Darcy's law, and a resistance network model at the scale of the active area. Predictions from the three models were used to map the available design space. The optimal electrode thickness, in terms of minimizing nonuniformity, was identified and compared to the result for an interdigitated flow field. Serpentine favors thicker electrodes and higher flows than interdigitated, in qualitative agreement with experimental findings. Furthermore, interdigitated designs deliver more uniform intraelectrode velocities and lower overall pressure drops than serpentine flow fields.},
doi = {10.1002/aic.16553},
journal = {AIChE Journal},
number = 5,
volume = 65,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Fri Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.16553

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 19 works
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