Simulate Electrochemical Devices

By DE Editors

Hydrogen concentration in a proton exchange fuel cell as simulated with COMSOL’s new Batteries & Fuel Cell. Model courtesy:  Christian Siegel, Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT GmbH) in Duisburg,  Germany.

COMSOL Inc. (Burlington, MA) the developer of the COMSOL Multiphysics simulation software, recently announced the release of the Batteries & Fuel Cells Module for COMSOL Multiphysics modeling and simulation environment. This new, optional expansion module is said to provide a full suite of tools for the set-up, simulation, and study of major electrochemical batteries and fuel cells, including lithium-ion batteries,  nickel metal-hydride batteries, solid oxide fuel cells, and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. With the Batteries & Fuel Cells Module engineers,  scientists, and researchers can investigate the influence of different materials,  geometric configurations, and operating conditions on the performance of batteries and fuel cells.

The Batteries & Fuel Cell Module enables integrators and developers of batteries, fuel cell component, and fuel cell stacks in such industries as transportation, green energy, and consumer electronics to obtain accurate and reliable simulation results quickly, according to the company. The new module extends COMSOL Multiphysics with predefined couplings of electrochemical reactions, flow, heat transfer, and electric fields.

Physics interfaces built into the Batteries & Fuel Cell Module enable engineers and scientists to set up their analyses quickly says COMSOL. Each interface includes descriptions of the electrochemical reactions and the transport properties that influence the performance of batteries and fuel cells. The described transport phenomena are chemical species transport,  charge transport, heat transfer, and fluid flow. Electrode reactions, which are fully coupled to the transport phenomena, provide full descriptions of the electrode kinetics including activation and concentration overpotential.

The Batteries & Fuel Cells Module for COMSOL Multiphysics comes with a complementary model library that provides tutorials for such electrochemical cells as  molten carbonate fuel cell, proton exchange membrane fuel cell, lithium ion battery,  and nickel-metal hydride battery. For complete details, contact COMSOL Inc.

View the Batteries & Fuel Cells Module specifications chart.

See why DE’s Editors selected the COMSOL Batteries &  Fuel Cells Module as their Pick of the Week.