Electrical Resistive Tomography to Analyse the Flow Behaviour in Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Bekker Eric Botha , Holland Daniel J , Marshall Aaron Timothy 
Published: July 2022

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are re-emerging as a safe, scalable, efficient and versatile means of large-scale energy storage. Growing adoption of renewable energy generation has ushered a new optimism regarding future reduction in fossil fuel dependency; limiting further harm dealt to the climate and wider environment. However, this momentum demands more efficient energy storage solutions to reconcile power demand and the intermittent nature of wind, solar and tidal energy generation [1]. Without proper storage, reliable back-up generation – largely provided by fossil fuels – will continue to be an unavoidable reality [2]. RFBs utilise the electrochemical properties of dissolved metal ions to store and release energy. Independent sizing of electrolyte storage tanks and flexible power delivery contributes to the flexibility of RFBs compared to alternative battery technologies [3].

RFB reactions occur at the electrode-electrolyte interface, and thus the mass transport at this interface is a critical factor in determining the overall RFB performance. Most RFBs use porous electrodes, with a popular choice of material being carbon felt (CF) due to its low cost, chemical stability and high conductivity [4], although the hydrophobic nature of some CF can cause poor electrode ‘wettability’- decreasing the contact area between the electrode and the electrolyte. Further, electrolyte depletion and asymmetric flow can lead to the presence of ‘dead spots’ where the interface is inactive. Many studies have been conducted on CF to improve the electrochemical performance, using surface treatments, compression and channel flow to improve active area, wettability, and species transport [5-7]. These each have direct impact on current density, pressure drop, overpotentials, and energy efficiency. While the flow of electrolyte in the RFB porous electrodes can be modelled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) [8], and experimentally assessed using x-ray tomography [9,10] and some optical visualisation methods [11], there are limited experimental methods which can be used on entire RFB stacks.

In this study, we explore the use of electrical resistive tomography (ERT) to probe the flow of electrolyte through RFB electrodes. ERT has the advantage that it can provide a non-intrusive means of investigating the hydrodynamics of the otherwise opaque cell stack. Measurements were performed using an array of electrodes place around the perimeter of an RFB electrode chamber which contained conventional carbon felt electrodes. Sensitivity maps were generated using the COMSOL Multiphysics platform and compared with experimental measurements. The flow distribution was evaluated by using injections of concentrated KCl solutions into the background electrolyte. Overall, ERT demonstrated promise as a technique for characterising real-time flow dynamics in RFB stacks and for future research into porous electrode and flow field modifications.

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