High current density charging of zinc-air flow batteries: Investigating the impact of flow rate and current density on zinc electrodeposition

Ramin Khezri, Shiva Rezaei Motlagh, Mohammad Etesami, Ahmad Azmin Mohamad, Rojana Pornprasertsuk, Sorin Olaru and Soorathep Kheawhom

Applied Energy, 2023, vol. 348, issue C, No S0306261923009285

Abstract: Rechargeable zinc-based batteries (RZABs) show much promise over a wide range of applications due to their scalability, safety, and low cost. However, achieving stable and uniform zinc electrodeposition, particularly at high current densities, remains a significant challenge. Herein, the mechanism of charging zinc-air flow batteries under high current density conditions is investigated in detail. Through a combination of experimental and computational methods, both the individual and combined effects of current density and electrolyte flow rate on zinc electrodeposition are studied. Critical aspects of zinc electrodeposition, including ion concentration gradients, overpotential, mass transfer impedance, and gas evolution are scrutinized. Findings demonstrate that flow velocity profoundly affects current density regulation and mass transfer, while bubble formation at high current densities has implications for induced overpotential and overall charging performance. The surface morphology of electrodeposited zinc, as well as the formation and motion of bubbles, are evaluated using both in-situ and ex-situ microscopic imaging techniques. Optimal uniformity of zinc deposition is achieved by combining a current density of 60 mA cm−2 with a flow rate of 0.021 m s−1. Applying these conditions to a zinc-air battery results in excellent durability, maintaining commendable performance throughout 78 h of charge/discharge cycling. This research provides valuable insights into the correlation between operating parameters and surface properties of zinc electrodeposition, thus supporting the development of high-performance rechargeable zinc-based energy storage devices incorporating flow systems.

Keywords: Zinc-air battery; Flow battery; Surface morphology; Electrode-electrolyte interface; Multiphysics; Bubble evolution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261923009285
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:348:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923009285

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121564

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().