Electrolyte-enhanced Single Particle Lithium Cell Models Including Electrolyte Convection

Thick electrodes suffer from underutilization of active materials due to ion transport limitations in thick porous structures. Flow-through electrolyte can improve cell electrochemical performance by faster ion transport. A reduced-order, electrolyte-enhanced, single particle model of lithium (Li) cells with flow convection (ESPM-C) is developed and simulated. The results show that flow-through electrolyte can facilitate full utilization of active materials in thick electrodes (≥ 100 μm) during intercalation at high C-rates (≥ 1C) by maintaining uniform ion concentration distribution. The model exhibits less than 1% maximum error relative to a full-order COMSOL model in concentration and voltage profiles in graphite-NCM cells at no flow condition. In Li metal batteries, the ESPM-C model predicts uniform ion concentration and reduced impedance in Li-NCM cells.