Modelling and Simulation of an Alkaline Ni/Zn Cell

Abstract

Nickel/zinc (Ni/Zn) technology is a promising post-lithium battery type for stationary applications with respect to aspects such as safety, environmental compatibility and resource availability. Although this battery type has been known for a long time, the theoretical knowledge about the processes taking place in the battery is limited. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the general cycling behaviour and the underlying processes, but also specific phenomena intrinsic to zinc-based cells such as zinc shape change, we carry out simulations based on a thermodynamically consistent and volume-averaged continuum model. We use a Ni/Zn prototype cell as a reference framework to provide a basis for modelling, parameter estimation and systematic comparison between simulated and experimental cell behaviour to improve cyclability and performance.