A three-dimensional model for thermal analysis has been developed to gain a better understanding of thermal behavior in a vanadium flow battery (VFB). The model is based on a comprehensive description of mass, momentum, charge and energy transport and conservation, combining with a global kinetic model for reactions involving all vanadium species. The emphasis in this paper is placed on the heat losses inside a cell. A quasi-static behavior of temperature and the temperature spatial distribution were characterized via the thermal model. The simulations also indicate that the heat generation exhibits a strong dependence on the applied current density. The reaction rate and the over potential rise with an increased applied current density, resulting in the electrochemical reaction heat rises proportionally and the activation heat rises at a parabolic rate. Based on the Ohm's law, the ohmic heat rises at a parabolic rate when the applied current density increases. As a result, the determining heat source varies when the applied current density changes. While the relative contribution of the three types of heat is dependent on the cell materials and cell geometry, the regularities of heat losses can also be attained via the model. In addition, the electrochemical reaction heat and activation heat have a lack of sensitivity to the porosity and flow rate, whereas an obvious increase of ohmic heat has been observed with the rise of the porosity. A lower porosity or a faster flow shows a better uniformity of temperature distribution in a VFB. Thus, the model proposed in this paper shows good prospect in heat and temperature management for a VFB aiming at eliminating any crisis of internal heat accumulation. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.