Novel approach to mathematical modeling of the complex electrochemical systems with multiple phase interfaces

Kodým, Roman; Drakselová, Monika; Pánek, Petr; Němeček, Michal; Šnita, Dalimil; Bouzek, Karel

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2015.01.039

Cited by 20 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Engineering text books are full of smart and sophisticated reactor architectures but it must be said that the great majority of industrial electrolysers have a plate-and-frame design, also known as sandwich or filter-press [178]. As evoked above, an electrochemical reactor is inherently complex, and it seems wise to extrapolate it to the simplest possible configuration.…”

Section: Reactor Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) produce hydrogen at the cathode associated with the oxidation of organic matter at the anode. This technology can produce hydrogen by consuming less electrical energy than water electrolysis does. However, it has been very difficult so far to scale up efficient MECs beyond the size of small laboratory cells. This article firstly revisits the fundamentals of MECs to assert their theoretical advantages. The low formal equilibrium cell voltage of 0.123 V and electrical and thermal energy yields as high as 10 and 12, respectively, are major assets. Other theoretical strengths are discussed, including the possibility to produce methane, and some safety advantages. The experimental achievements at pilot scale (several litres volume) are analysed through the prism of electrochemical engineering. This analysis leads to recommendations to modify some research efforts, notably by giving priority to increasing current density rather than working with volumetric parameters, using Faradaic yields to detect dysfunctions, and systematizing control experiments at open circuit. The critical analysis successively addresses electrolytes, electrode kinetics, temperature, substrate concentration, reactor architecture, and control procedures. It brings to light intrinsic weaknesses of the MEC concept and identifies improvements that can be made using current technology, for instance, by the catalysis of hydrogen evolution at neutral pH. The problem of the low electrolyte conductivity is pointed out and, in return, how increasing it can be detrimental to the key issue of anode acidification. Finally, research lines are proposed with the objective of moving ahead towards MEC development.

show abstract

Section: Reactor Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These models apply appropriate mass balances and boundary conditions. Bouzek et al have produced several detailed simulations of industrial electrochemical systems using this general approach [167].…”

Section: Experimental Studies Of Reaction Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering aspects of the design, construction and performance of modular redox flow batteries for energy storage

Arenas

León

Walsh

2017

Journal of Energy Storage

261

162

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite many studies and several extensive reviews of redox flow batteries (RFBs) over the last three decades, information on engineering aspects is scarce, which hinders progress with scale-up and implementation of this energy storage technology. This review summarises cell design requirements then critically considers design, construction and cell features together with their benefits and problems, leading to good practice through improved cell performance, knowledge and experience. Techniques for the characterisation of the reaction environment are illustrated by measurements of mass transport to (and from) electrode surfaces as a function of flow conditions, as well as pressure drop and electrolyte flow dispersion. The effect of design features on performance is illustrated by the effect of process conditions on the components of cell potential. Adequate attention to engineering aspects is seen to be critical to the effective performance of RFBs, particularly during scale-up and long-term operation. Techniques for the characterisation of reaction environment are summarised and a list of essential design and construction factors is provided. Finally, critical areas needing research and development are highlighted.

show abstract

“…The pressure differences in the inlet and outlet channels are defined as ΔP inlet = (P iN − P i ) and ΔP outlet = (P oN − P o ). Accordingly, combining Equations (10) and (11) gives…”

Section: Pressure Uniformitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is essential to understand the impact of operating conditions on the efficiency and energy loss of the PEMFC system, such as flow rates of reactants, pressure, temperature, and gas humidity. 6,7 Numerous studies have devoted to these research fields, in which the technology of numerical simulation has been widely used to explore the optimal design and operation condition for a single cell 8 or a fuel cell stack, [9][10][11] as a consequence of its easy performance, low cost, and high efficiency. Besides, the detailed physical phenomena in the fuel cell can be visualized and observed through the numerical method.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow field simulation and pressure drop modeling by a porous medium in PEM fuel cells

Chen

Tsai

Chang

et al. 2020

Intl J of Energy Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, the distribution of reactant flow in the stack is critical to the fuel cell's efficiency. The uneven distribution of reactant flow in the stack may cause poor current density, low performance, and material degradation. To understand and accurately predict the flow field in the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell system, the present study aims to develop a simple correlation to analyze the pressure drop in fuel cell stacks.The flow channel in each cell of a stack is treated as a porous medium, and a power-law model is used to approximate the porous medium momentum source term. For the stacks with fewer cell numbers, namely, 1, 5, and 10 cells, the parameters in the power law are established based on the experimental data. Then, a correlation is developed to simulate the flow and predict the pressure drop in the stack with higher cell numbers (ie, 20 and 40 cells). The simulations show that the pressure drop in each cell of a stack is almost invariable, and the average pressure drop decreases with increasing the number of cells. The flow uniformity in the stacks with different cell numbers is evaluated using the dimensionless pressure drop and the pressure drop ratios. It suggests that the lower the cell number, the more uniform the pressure drop. The developed model is conducive to efficiently designing the flow channel for a fuel cell stack with large cell numbers.

show abstract

Novel approach to mathematical modeling of the complex electrochemical systems with multiple phase interfaces

Cited by 20 publications

References 34 publications

Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint

Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint

Engineering aspects of the design, construction and performance of modular redox flow batteries for energy storage

Flow field simulation and pressure drop modeling by a porous medium in PEM fuel cells

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About