Case Study: Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO/EnergyVille) develops a novel battery model with COMSOL Multiphysics

VITO/EnergyVille models semisolid flow batteries with COMSOL to achieve 10x higher volumetric energy storage

Researchers at the Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO/EnergyVille) faced a significant challenge in designing semisolid flow batteries (SSFBs). Existing models for these complex systems were based on incorrect physics, assuming convective flow inside solid particles, which led to unreliable predictions. To find accurate answers to design questions, such as how flow rate affects performance, they needed a novel modeling approach that could correctly account for multiphysics and multiscale interactions.

Using COMSOL Multiphysics software and the LiveLink for MATLAB interfacing product, the team developed a pioneering pseudo-3D (P3D) model. This solution correctly simulated the battery's physics by using molecular diffusion as the transport mechanism inside particles and employing extrusion operators to link 2D and 3D domains. The results provided, for the first time, a clear visualization of how flow rate affects cell voltage and particle discharge, with model predictions aligning with experimental data. This validated model enables the design of more efficient SSFBs and can be extrapolated to other systems like wastewater treatment, significantly advancing battery research.

Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO/EnergyVille)