Coupled electro-thermal field in a high current electrolysis cell or liquid metal batteries. Issue 2 (14th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Ze; Cai, Liwei; Ni, Haiou; Lu, Gui-Min; Yu, Jian-Guo
• Is Part Of: Royal Society open science. Volume 5:Issue 2(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-02-14
• Subjects: electric field -- thermal field -- numerical simulation; Science -- Periodicals; 500
• DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171309
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2054-5703

Abstract

Abstract : Coupled electro-thermal field exists widely in chemical batteries and electrolysis industry. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model, which is based on the finite-element software ANSYS, has been built to simulate the electro-thermal field in a magnesium electrolysis cell. The adjustment of the relative position of the anode and cathode can change the energy consumption of the magnesium electrolysis process significantly. Besides, the current intensity has a nonlinear effect on heat balance, and the effects of heat transfer coefficients, electrolysis and air temperature on the heat balance have been released to maintain the thermal stability in a magnesium electrolysis cell. The relationship between structure as well as process parameters and electro-thermal field has been obtained and the simulation results can provide experience for the scale-up design in liquid metal batteries.