Analysis of temperature distribution in PV-integrated electrochemical flow cells

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV)-integrated flow cells for electrochemical energy conversion and storage underwent a huge development. The advantages of this type of integrated flow cell system include the simultaneous storage of solar energy into chemicals that can be readily utilized for generating electricity. However, most studies overlook the practical challenges arising from the inherent heat exposure and consequent overheating of the reactor under the sun. This work aims to predict the temperature profiles across PV-integrated electrochemical flow cells under light exposure conditions by introducing a computational fluid dynamics–based method. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of the flow channel block architecture on the temperature profile to provide insights and guidelines for the effective remedy of overheating.