The 10th Asian Symposium on Computational Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow ( ASCHT2025)

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are promising for large-scale energy storage due to their scalability and long cycle life. However, complex multiphase transport in porous carbon felt electrodes is strongly affected by electrode compression and wettability. In this study, carbon felt microstructures under various compression ratios are reconstructed from micro-computed tomography images. The lattice Boltzmann method is then used to investigate the effects of wettability and compression ratio on transport performance in the negative electrode. Results show that lower contact angles improve bubble removal, while hydrophobic electrodes tend to form gas films along fibers, leading to large, trapped bubbles and reduced ionic transport and reaction surface area. A compression ratio of 50% is identified as optimal, balancing ionic and electronic transport. This study provides pore-scale insights into the coupled effects of wettability and compression, offering design guidelines for optimizing VRFB electrode performance.
 

Vanadium redox flow battery,Lattice Boltzmann method,compression ratios,wettability