Abstract
Redox flow battery (RFB) is a large-scale energy storage system that has garnered significant attention for its potential in storing renewable energy. This study focuses on the design of the flow field in RFB, which consists of two key components: a flow channel and a porous electrode. While previous research has typically treated these components independently, we recognize their close interdependence. Therefore, we propose a comprehensive design approach that optimizes both the flow channel geometry and the porosity distribution of the porous electrode using topology optimization. For simplicity, the optimization is conducted in a two-dimensional model, with the flow channel and porous electrode represented as two distinct layers using separate design variables. Given the complexity of the problem and the risk of converging to local optima, we employ two optimization strategies: simultaneous optimization of both layers and alternating optimization of respective layers. These proposed methods yielded better solutions compared to conventional approaches. The results also indicate that alternating optimization can achieve performance improvements of up to 15% compared to simultaneous optimization.
https://ror.org/035t8zc32 
