Modeling an All-Copper Redox Flow Battery for Microgrid Applications: Impact of Current and Flow Rate on Capacity Fading and Deposition

Mirko D’Adamo, Wouter Badenhorst, Lasse Murtomäki, Paula Cordoba, Mohamed Derbeli (), Jose A. Saez-Zamora and Lluís Trilla
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Mirko D’Adamo: NVISION, Sabino de Arana 14, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Wouter Badenhorst: Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland
Lasse Murtomäki: Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland
Paula Cordoba: NVISION, Sabino de Arana 14, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Mohamed Derbeli: NVISION, Sabino de Arana 14, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Jose A. Saez-Zamora: NVISION, Sabino de Arana 14, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Lluís Trilla: IREC, Jardins de les Dones de Negre 1, 2ª pl, Sant Adrià del Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: The copper redox flow battery (CuRFB) stands out as a promising hybrid redox flow battery technology, offering significant advantages in electrolyte stability. Within the CuBER H-2020 project framework, this study addresses critical phenomena such as electrodeposition at the negative electrode during charging and copper crossover through the membrane, which influence capacity fading. A comprehensive two-dimensional physicochemical model of the CuRFB cell was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics, providing insights into the distribution of electroactive materials over time. The model was validated against experimental cycling data, demonstrating a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.0212 in voltage estimation. Least-squares parameter estimation, utilizing Bound Optimization by Quadratic Approximation, was conducted to determine active material diffusivities and electron transfer coefficients. The results indicate that higher current densities and lower flow rates lead to increased copper deposition near the inlet, significantly impacting the battery’s State of Health (SoH). These findings highlight the importance of considering fluid dynamics and ion concentration distribution to improve battery performance and longevity. The study’s insights are crucial for optimizing and scaling up CuRFB operations, guiding potential cell-scale-up strategies into stack-level configurations.

Keywords: electrolyte stability; current density; flow rate; State of Health; All-Copper Redox Flow Battery; multiphysics modeling; crossover diffusion; electrodeposition; capacity fade; voltage prediction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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