Abstract:

Flow field structure design and optimization is one of the effective ways to improve the uniformity of electrolyte flow, raise the power density of stack, and accordingly improve the reliability of flow battery. Conventionally, flow field structure design and optimization mainly focuses on designing parallel, interdigitated or serpentine channels on the graphite bipolar plate, which is limited by the channel types and the high cost and poor mechanical property of graphite plate. Thereby, a series of strategies, including designing new types of channels like corrugated parallel, detached serpentine and spiral channels, constructing channels on the electrode, introducing independent flow channel component, and designing novel configurations like circular and trapezoid, have been proposed. This paper systematically reviews the current progress of flow field structure design and optimization for flow batteries from three aspects of bipolar plate, electrode and special shapes. Subsequently, the influence mechanism of flow field structure and key parameters on the battery performance, and their coordination with battery operation and assembly parameters are expounded. The flow field structures that are expected to provide superior battery performance and suitable for scaling up, are finally proposed.

Key words: flow battery, structure design, fluid mechanics, numerical simulation, mass transport enhancement

摘要：

液流电池结构设计与优化研究是改善电池内部电解液流动性能、提高电堆功率密度和可靠性的重要途径之一。在石墨板上设计并行、交指和蛇形等流道是液流电池使用的传统流道结构，其缺点为流道种类单一、石墨板成本高及机械性能差。为了克服上述缺点，波纹状并行、分离式蛇形、螺旋形等新型流道，在电极上构建流道、引入独立的流道部件、环形与梯形等异形结构等先后被提出。本文从双极板、电极上的结构设计和异形结构设计与优化三方面系统综述了近年来液流电池结构设计与优化研究进展，阐释流场结构等对电池性能的影响机制及其与电池运行、装配间的适配规律，并提出进一步改善电池性能并适合普及应用的流场结构形式。

关键词: 液流电池, 结构设计, 流体力学, 数值模拟, 传质强化