Ultrasound and simulation for highly laden particle suspensions on the example of Zn-Slurry batteries
Particle suspensions appear in many technical processes, e.g. as suspension electrode
in zinc-air flow batteries or as raw materials as well as products in the food
industry. Knowledge of the complex multiphase flow phenomena raises possibilities
of optimization and increased efficiency of these technical processes.
In this research project, a new ultrasound measurement technique is developed,
characterized and applied to measure the suspension flow inside of an operational
zinc-air flow battery. The main flow channel of the battery has a height of 4
mm. Hence a high spatial resolution is required for the flow measurement, which
is normally done by applying high ultrasound frequency. This is not possible for
this fluid, since the scattering and attenuation of ultrasound at the zinc particles
increase drastically with frequency.
To achieve a sufficient resolution at a low ultrasound frequency, non-linear ultrasound
imaging and super-resolution techniques are combined and particle tracking
velocimetry is applied. As a result super-resolved flow measurements in an
operational zinc-air flow battery were performed and compared to the electrical
performance of the flow battery for different rheological properties and compositions
of the suspension as well as working points in terms of flow rate and fluidic
cell design. This allows optimizing the performance of the zinc-air flow battery.
Staff: C. Kupsch, R. Nauber
Period: 04/2016 – 12/2018
Partner: Zentrum für Brennstoffzellentechnik GmbH (ZBT)
Explosion view of a zinc-air flow battery. The electrical performance of the cell depends on the local flow conditions in the anodic flow channel (flow field) of the battery. Optimizing the flow, which requires knowledge of the flow, results in an improved performance of the battery.
C. Kupsch, L. Feierabend, R. Nauber, L. Büttner and J. Czarske, “Ultrasound flow investigations at a zincair
flow battery model”, International Conference on Experimental Fluid Mechanics – ICEFM 2018 Munich,
2 - 4.07.2018, Munich, Germany
C. Kupsch, L. Feierabend, R. Nauber, L. Büttner and J. Czarske, “Super-resolution ultrasound flow measurement of the non-Newtonian multiphase suspension in a zinc-air flow battery”, 16th multiphase
flow conference, 13 - 16.11.2018, Dresden, Germany