By: Sunidhi Rajput
Sir Chhotu Ram Institute of Engineering and Technology, C.C.S. University Campus, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
This paper presents a comprehensive study on the metal pad roll instability (MPRI) in liquid metal batteries (LMBs), a key phenomenon driven by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) forces. LMBs, which are poised to revolutionize grid-scale energy storage due to their low cost, long lifespan, and high current density, face critical challenges due to instabilities that can compromise operational stability. This work characterizes the MPRI in cylindrical reduction cells and offers theoretical formulations, validated against numerical solvers, such as OpenFOAM and SFEMaNS. By analyzing gravity waves across multiple fluid layers and incorporating capillary, viscous, and Joule dissipation effects, this study provides explicit formulas for determining instability thresholds. The findings are particularly relevant for large-scale LMB applications, where instability driven by weak magnetic fields can lead to short circuits, diminishing battery performance. The paper also addresses the impact of dissipation on the growth rate of instability, and how these results align with experimental data. Our results underscore the importance of accurately modeling and mitigating MHD instabilities in LMB systems for future energy storage solutions.
Citation:
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