Layout structure of a water-based organic liquid flow battery for a ship

Abstract

The application provides a layout structure of a water-based organic liquid flow battery for a ship, which comprises a ship body, liquid flow battery units and ballast water tanks are arranged at both sides of the bottom of the ship body at intervals, a sinking channel is arranged at the middle of the ship body, a positive electrode output main pipe, a positive electrode return main pipe, a negative electrode output main pipe and a negative electrode return main pipe are arranged in the sinking channel, the liquid flow battery units comprise a plurality of positive electrode warehouses, negative electrode warehouses, positive electrode pumps and negative electrode pumps arranged at intervals, the positive electrode warehouses are provided with positive electrode outlet pipes and positive electrode inlet pipes, the negative electrode warehouses are provided with negative electrode outlet pipes and negative electrode inlet pipes, and valves are arranged on the positive electrode outlet pipes, the positive electrode inlet pipes, the negative electrode outlet pipes and the negative electrode inlet pipes. The application is beneficial to the deployment of electrolyte, meets the production of the electric pile, adjusts the posture of the ship body in cooperation with the ballast water tanks, and can reduce leakage and loss as much as possible if leakage occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine flow battery technology, and more particularly to a layout structure of a marine water-based organic flow battery. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the main power batteries used in electric ships include lithium-ion batteries such as lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries, as well as some lead-acid batteries. While lead-acid batteries have advantages such as mature technology, low cost, and high reliability, their low energy density, short cycle life, and frequent maintenance limit their large-scale adoption in marine applications. Although lithium batteries have certain advantages in energy density and volume, several key technological bottlenecks remain: First, battery modules have stringent installation and layout requirements, necessitating dedicated battery compartments and complex ventilation and heat dissipation systems; second, the large weight and concentrated placement of batteries affect ship stability and center of gravity control; third, safety concerns exist, as thermal runaway can easily occur under abnormal conditions such as impacts and short circuits, leading to fires or explosions; fourth, discarded lithium batteries pose a long-term potential for environmental pollution, and there is currently a lack of effective recycling and disposal mechanisms; fifth, the construction of charging and battery swapping facilities for large-capacity lithium battery ships is difficult; sixth, due to limitations in installation space and load capacity, lithium battery ships generally have shorter ranges; and seventh, battery life is typically only 5-6 years, requiring multiple replacements throughout the ship's lifespan, resulting in high overall costs.

[0003] Furthermore, the global energy crisis and climate change are becoming increasingly prominent issues. In China, diesel engines account for over 90% of ship propulsion systems, and their overall technological level is relatively low. During navigation and port entry, they generate large amounts of oily wastewater, harmful gases, particulate matter, and noise, severely damaging the aquatic ecosystem. Promoting the conversion of ships from oil to electricity has become an important path to achieve energy conservation, emission reduction, and green transformation. Electric ships have significant advantages such as low energy consumption, zero emissions, low noise, and no pollution, making them an effective direction for solving current shipping pollution problems.

[0004] Regarding marine flow batteries, CN112208719A discloses a ship design based on a vanadium redox flow battery as its power source. However, vanadium resources are not abundant globally, resulting in high prices for vanadium redox flow batteries. Furthermore, the electrolyte energy density of vanadium redox flow batteries is generally between 16 and 18 Wh / L, occupying significant space within the ship and limiting their application in marine applications. CN117321815A discloses a method for adjusting the attitude of a maritime vessel using a flow battery, but the patent does not disclose the specific flow battery system used, making patent implementation difficult.

[0005] Furthermore, the application of flow batteries in ships, as described above, is still in its early stages. It fails to consider that electrolyte leakage not only pollutes the environment but also causes losses; the electrochemical corrosion of the electrolyte places demands on its storage, and simply coating the inner walls of ballast tanks with anti-corrosion materials is a rather simplistic approach; the electrolyte occupies space in the ballast tanks, and how to strategically position and coordinate these remaining tanks to achieve ship attitude adjustment presents a complex and contradictory problem. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention discloses a layout structure for a marine-based organic flow battery, comprising a hull. Flow battery units and ballast water tanks are spaced apart on both sides of the hull's bottom. A sinking channel is located in the middle of the hull, and inside the sinking channel are arranged a positive electrode output main pipe, a positive electrode return main pipe, a negative electrode output main pipe, and a negative electrode return main pipe. The positive electrode output main pipe, positive electrode return main pipe, negative electrode output main pipe, and negative electrode return main pipe constitute the main delivery pipeline for the flow battery, and the battery stack can be connected to them to obtain electrolyte. Furthermore, because these four pipelines are connected end-to-end, the arrangement of the battery stack is highly flexible.

[0007] The flow battery unit includes several spaced-apart positive electrode compartments, negative electrode compartments, a positive electrode pump, and a negative electrode pump. The positive electrode compartment is provided with a positive electrode outlet pipe and a positive electrode inlet pipe, and the negative electrode compartment is provided with a negative electrode outlet pipe and a negative electrode inlet pipe. Each of the positive electrode outlet pipe, positive electrode inlet pipe, negative electrode outlet pipe, and negative electrode inlet pipe is provided with a valve. The positive electrode outlet pipe is connected to the input end of the positive electrode pump, and the negative electrode outlet pipe is connected to the output end of the negative electrode pump. First, by miniaturizing the positive and negative electrode chambers, each chamber can hold relatively less electrolyte. In case of leakage or damage, the valve of that chamber can be closed, reducing leakage, environmental pollution, and losses. Second, the smaller chamber size eliminates the need for baffle structures, resulting in a smaller internal surface area. Furthermore, baffles can cause fatigue cracks at weak points in the connection between the baffle and the inner wall of the chamber under impact and vibration. Since the electrolyte is acidic, the interaction between the two can easily corrode the chamber and cause leakage. Finally, each chamber's inlet and outlet pipes are equipped with valves, allowing for independent control of each chamber. This effectively facilitates the charging and discharging of the flow battery and the attitude adjustment of the hull.

[0008] The output terminal of the positive electrode pump is connected to the positive electrode output main pipe, and the output terminal of the negative electrode pump is connected to the negative electrode output main pipe. All positive electrode inlet pipes are connected to the positive electrode return main pipe, and all negative electrode inlet pipes are connected to the negative electrode return main pipe. Both the positive and negative electrode pumps pump electrolyte outwards. During the charging and discharging of the flow battery, the general strategy is that a single flow battery unit is charged and discharged. That is, while the flow battery unit pumps electrolyte outwards, the electrolyte returns to the flow battery unit after charging and discharging; in other words, only the valve on that flow battery unit is in the open state.

[0009] A throttling valve is installed between the positive output main and the positive return main, and a throttling valve is installed between the negative output main and the negative return main. When the throttling valve is open, the hull needs to adjust its attitude, and the degree of opening and closing of the throttling valve needs to take into account the operation of the fuel cell stack. After the throttling valve is open, the valves, positive pumps, and negative pumps on each flow battery unit need to be activated to enable the flow battery units at different locations to receive or output electrolyte, thereby adjusting the center of gravity of the entire hull. It should be noted that in the initial state of the hull, the electrolyte storage in each chamber should be no less than two-thirds and no more than four-fifths, ensuring sufficient electrolyte to meet the operation of the fuel cell stack and that the chambers have enough space to change the center of gravity of the hull.

[0010] Preferably, the sinking channel is filled with deionized water, and a deionized water cooling device is placed on the hull. Since the operation of the fuel cell stack generates heat, and most of the heat is transferred to the electrolyte, the sinking channel is not only used for the arrangement of the positive electrode output main pipe, positive electrode return main pipe, negative electrode output main pipe, and negative electrode return main pipe, but also facilitates heat dissipation through immersion of deionized water.

[0011] Preferably, both the positive and negative electrode compartments are provided with inner liners. These inner liners consist of duplex stainless steel with a thickness of at least 1 mm, and both sides of the duplex stainless steel are coated with a plastic coating with a thickness of at least 0.2 mm. The plastic coating is in direct contact with the electrolyte, providing corrosion resistance. The duplex stainless steel exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and can be passivated in acidic environments, and since the electrolyte is acidic, even if the plastic coating is damaged, the duplex stainless steel can still ensure electrolyte storage. The double-layered plastic coating, with the outermost layer acting as insulation, minimizes the risk of electrochemical corrosion.

[0012] Preferably, the plastic coating material is polyethylene, polypropylene, or epoxy resin, and it is applied using a thermal spraying or spraying process. Thermoplastic polyethylene and polypropylene can be thermally sprayed, while epoxy resin is sprayed before curing to obtain the coating. To achieve the specified thickness, multiple sprayings can be performed.

[0013] Furthermore, when welding adjacent duplex stainless steels, a connecting duplex stainless steel piece needs to be placed over the joint of the adjacent duplex stainless steels. The two sides of the adjacent duplex stainless steel are welded to the adjacent duplex stainless steels, or they are stacked together and welded in a layered manner to avoid the welding material melting directly affecting the outer plastic coating. After the welding is completed, a plastic coating is applied to the inner side.

[0014] A method for guiding ship attitude control includes the following: Step 1: Establish a three-dimensional coordinate system on the horizontal plane where the geometric center of the ship is located. After the ship's load changes, obtain its attitude and draft. Use the direction of the ship's center of gravity shift and the mass increment as values, and convert them to obtain a vector (t) about the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system. Obtain the change of the ship's center of gravity after it is loaded. Step 2: Using the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single ballast water tank as the direction, the weight of the ballast water tank is converted into a vector (n). Using the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single positive / negative electrode tank as the direction, the weight of the electrolyte is converted into a vector (m). Initially, the sum of vector (n) and vector (m) is (0), or the sum of vector (n) and vector (m) can be (0) respectively. Step 3: When it is necessary to adjust the ship's attitude, first obtain the vector (t) representing the ship's attitude, and obtain the increment of the vector (t) over time (Δt, only the value is calculated here). Then, connect the positive output main pipe and the positive return main pipe, and connect the negative output main pipe and the negative return main pipe. At this time, the positive pump and the negative pump work to introduce electrolyte into the flow battery unit in the opposite direction of the vector (t). During the process, calculate the sum of the vector (m) and the increment (Δm, only the value is calculated here). The sum of the component vectors of the sum of the vector (t) and the vector (m) projected on the horizontal plane is (0), then the ship remains horizontal. By comparing (Δt) and (Δm), determine whether the speed of the ship's attitude correction meets the requirements. Step 4: When the hull needs to sink, float, and further adjust its attitude, each ballast tank independently sends out or inputs water. The vectors (n), (t), and (m) are calculated together to obtain the sum vector. When the direction of the sum vector is vertical, the hull is horizontal, and the value is the draft. Similarly, the ballast tanks can also adjust the hull attitude through water input and output. In addition, the flow battery unit is used to improve the rate of hull attitude adjustment.

[0015] Preferably, the changes in the center of mass positions of the hull, ballast water tank, positive electrode tank, and negative electrode tank are obtained through joint calculation using, but not limited to, water level sensors, gyroscopes, particle concentration meters, and density sensors.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. The flow battery unit consists of several positive and negative electrode compartments. Relatively speaking, each compartment is small enough that it does not need to be equipped with a partition. In addition, each compartment is equipped with an electrolyte inlet pipeline with a valve. If leakage or damage occurs, closing the valve will at least prevent leakage of the electrolyte in that compartment. Relatively speaking, it has the advantages of low environmental pollution.

[0017] 2. It is equipped with a sinking channel, and the sinking channel contains a positive output main pipe, a positive return main pipe, a negative output main pipe, and a negative return main pipe, which can realize the connection of all flow battery units, and the position of the stack on the hull is more flexible.

[0018] 3. The sinking channel is submerged in deionized water, which, together with the heat dissipation device, can transfer the heat generated by the fuel cell stack during operation and meet the heat dissipation requirements of operation.

[0019] 4. It is equipped with an inner tank, including duplex stainless steel and plastic coating on both sides, which improves the stability and reliability of electrolyte storage.

[0020] 5. A ship attitude control guidance method is proposed, which uses vector parameterization to guide the adjustment of the ship's attitude to restore the ship's level. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a top view of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flow battery cell of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the vector representation of the ship's attitude according to the present invention.

[0022] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Flow battery unit; 2. Ballast water tank; 3. Sinking channel; 11. Positive electrode compartment; 12. Negative electrode compartment; 13. Negative electrode outlet pipe; 14. Positive electrode outlet pipe; 15. Negative electrode inlet pipe; 16. Positive electrode inlet pipe; 17. Valve; 18. Positive electrode pump; 19. Negative electrode pump. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, and the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 2As shown, a layout structure of a marine water-based organic flow battery includes a hull. Flow battery units 1 and ballast water tanks 2 are spaced apart on both sides of the bottom of the hull. A sinking channel 3 is provided in the middle of the hull. The sinking channel 3 contains a positive output main pipe, a positive return main pipe, a negative output main pipe, and a negative return main pipe. The positive output main pipe, positive return main pipe, negative output main pipe, and negative return main pipe are referred to as the bus. The purpose of designing the bus is to facilitate the connection of the flow battery units 1 at each location. Similarly, the battery stack is also connected to the bus. The distribution of the bus allows for flexible arrangement of the battery stack at the fore and aft positions of the hull.

[0025] Furthermore, the electrolyte used in this invention is the solution disclosed in CN120261648A (A low-cost flow battery and its application).

[0026] The flow battery unit 1 includes several spaced-apart positive electrode compartments 11, negative electrode compartments 12, a positive electrode pump 18, and a negative electrode pump 19. The positive electrode compartments 11 store the positive electrolyte, and the negative electrode compartments 12 store the negative electrolyte. The positive electrode pump 18 and the negative electrode pump 19 pump the positive and negative electrolytes outwards, respectively. The positive electrode compartment 11 is equipped with a positive electrode outlet pipe 14 and a positive electrode inlet pipe 16, and the negative electrode compartment 12 is equipped with a negative electrode outlet pipe 13 and a negative electrode inlet pipe 15. Both pipe 13 and negative electrode inlet pipe 15 are equipped with valves 17, which are independently controlled, allowing individual positive electrode compartments 11 and 12 to be isolated. In case of damage or leakage, the positive electrode compartment 11 or 12 can be isolated or transferred for further isolation, reducing electrolyte leakage. Positive electrode outlet pipes 14 are all connected to the input terminal of positive electrode pump 18, and negative electrode outlet pipes 13 are all connected to the output terminal of negative electrode pump 19. The current battery unit 1 consists of several positive electrode compartments 11 and 12, meaning the chamber is relatively spacious enough to reduce or even eliminate the need for partitions, improving the stability of electrolyte storage in each positive electrode compartment 11 or 12.

[0027] The output end of the positive electrode pump 18 is connected to the positive electrode output main pipe, the output end of the negative electrode pump 19 is connected to the negative electrode output main pipe, the positive electrode inlet pipe 16 is connected to the positive electrode return main pipe, and the negative electrode inlet pipe 15 is connected to the negative electrode return main pipe. That is, under the pumping of the positive electrode pump 18 and the negative electrode pump 19, the electrolyte passes through the stack and then flows back to its respective chamber.

[0028] A throttle valve is installed between the positive output main and the positive return main, and a throttle valve is installed between the negative output main and the negative return main. When hull attitude adjustment is required, the throttle valves are opened. At the same time, the location, number, and opening degree of each throttle valve must take into account the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0029] The sinking channel 3 is filled with deionized water, and a deionized water cooling device is placed on the hull. This is used for cooling the electrolysis process and ensures the stable operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0030] Both the positive electrode compartment 11 and the negative electrode compartment 12 are equipped with inner liners. The inner liners are made of duplex stainless steel with a thickness of not less than 1 mm. Duplex stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and can produce a passivation layer under acidic conditions, especially in an atmosphere containing a large amount of chloride ions. Both sides of the duplex stainless steel are coated with a plastic coating with a thickness of not less than 0.2 mm. The inner plastic layer is in direct contact with the electrolyte, while the outer plastic layer mainly serves as insulation.

[0031] The plastic coating is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or epoxy resin, and is applied using thermal spraying or spraying processes. This plastic is a common and readily available material.

[0032] like Figure 3 As shown, a ship attitude control guidance method includes the following: Step 1: Establish a three-dimensional coordinate system on the horizontal plane where the geometric center of the ship is located. The geometric center is set here when the ship is unloaded and horizontal. After the ship's load changes, the attitude and draft are obtained. The direction of the ship's center of gravity shift and the mass increment are used as values, and the vector (t) about the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system is calculated. Step 2: Taking the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single ballast water tank 2 as the direction, the weight of the water stored in the ballast water tank 2 is converted into a vector (n). Taking the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single positive electrode tank 11 / negative electrode tank 12 as the direction, the weight of the electrolyte is converted into a vector (m). Initially, the sum of vector (n) and vector (m) is (0). Guided by the direction and value of the vectors, the seawater input and output of the ballast water tank 2 and the change of the electrolyte storage position are realized. Step 3: When it is necessary to adjust the hull attitude, first obtain the vector (t) representing the hull attitude, and obtain the increment of the vector (t) over time (Δt, only the value is calculated here). Then, the positive output main pipe and the positive return main pipe are connected, and the negative output main pipe and the negative return main pipe are connected. At this time, the positive pump 18 and the negative pump 19 work to introduce the electrolyte into the liquid flow battery unit 1 in the opposite direction of the vector (t). During the process, the sum of the vector (m) and the increment (Δm, only the value is calculated here) are calculated. The sum of the component vectors of the sum of the vector (t) and the vector (m) projected on the horizontal plane is (0), then the hull remains horizontal. Step 4: When the hull needs to sink, float, and further adjust its attitude, each ballast tank 2 independently sends out or inputs water, and jointly calculates vector (n), vector (t), and vector (m) to obtain the sum vector. When the direction of the sum vector is vertical, the hull is horizontal, and the value is the draft.

[0033] The changes in the center of mass positions of the hull, ballast water tank 2, positive electrode tank 11, and negative electrode tank 12 are obtained through joint calculations using, but not limited to, water level sensors, gyroscopes, particle concentration meters, and density sensors.

[0034] The technical means disclosed in this invention are not limited to those disclosed in the above embodiments, but also include technical solutions composed of any combination of the above technical features.

Claims

1. A ship attitude control guidance method for a layout structure of a ship-based organic liquid flow battery, the layout structure including a hull, wherein liquid flow battery units (1) and ballast water tanks (2) are spaced apart on both sides of the bottom of the hull, and a sinking channel (3) is provided in the middle of the hull, wherein a positive electrode output main pipe, a positive electrode return main pipe, a negative electrode output main pipe and a negative electrode return main pipe are provided inside the sinking channel (3), and the liquid flow battery unit (1) includes a plurality of spaced positive electrode compartments (11), negative electrode compartments (12) and positive electrode compartments (13). Pump (18) and negative electrode pump (19), the positive electrode chamber (11) is provided with a positive electrode outlet pipe (14) and a positive electrode inlet pipe (16), the negative electrode chamber (12) is provided with a negative electrode outlet pipe (13) and a negative electrode inlet pipe (15), and valves (17) are provided on the positive electrode outlet pipe (14), the positive electrode inlet pipe (16), the negative electrode outlet pipe (13) and the negative electrode inlet pipe (15). The positive electrode outlet pipe (14) is connected to the input end of the positive electrode pump (18), and the negative electrode outlet pipe (13) is connected to the output end of the negative electrode pump (19). The output end of pump (18) is connected to the positive output main pipe, the output end of the negative pump (19) is connected to the negative output main pipe, the positive inlet pipe (16) is connected to the positive return main pipe, the negative inlet pipe (15) is connected to the negative return main pipe, a throttle valve is installed between the positive output main pipe and the positive return main pipe, a throttle valve is installed between the negative output main pipe and the negative return main pipe, the sinking channel (3) is filled with deionized water, and a deionized water cooling device is placed on the hull, the positive chamber (11) and the negative chamber The inner walls of (12) are all provided with inner liner, the inner liner comprising duplex stainless steel with a thickness of not less than 1 mm, and both sides of the duplex stainless steel are coated with a plastic coating with a thickness of not less than 0.2 mm. The inner walls of the positive electrode chamber (11) and the negative electrode chamber (12) are all provided with inner liner, the inner liner comprising duplex stainless steel with a thickness of not less than 1 mm, and both sides of the duplex stainless steel are coated with a plastic coating with a thickness of not less than 0.2 mm. The plastic coating is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or epoxy resin, and is applied by thermal spraying or spraying process. Includes the following: Step 1: Establish a three-dimensional coordinate system on the horizontal plane where the geometric center of the ship is located. After the ship's load changes, obtain the attitude and draft. Use the direction of the ship's center of gravity shift and the mass increment as values, and convert them to obtain the vector (t) about the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system. Step 2: Taking the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single ballast water tank (2), the weight of the water stored in the ballast water tank (2) is converted into a vector (n). Taking the direction from the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system to the center of mass of a single positive electrode tank (11) / negative electrode tank (12), the weight of the electrolyte is converted into a vector (m). Initially, the sum of vector (n) and vector (m) is (0). Step 3: When it is necessary to adjust the hull attitude, first obtain the vector (t) representing the hull attitude, and obtain the increment (Δt) of the vector (t) over time. Δt is only calculated in terms of value here. Then, the positive output main pipe and the positive return main pipe are connected, and the negative output main pipe and the negative return main pipe are connected. At this time, the positive pump (18) and the negative pump (19) work to pass the electrolyte into the liquid flow battery unit (1) in the opposite direction of the vector (t). During the process, the sum of the vector (m) and the increment (Δm) are calculated. Δm is only calculated in terms of value here. The sum of the component vectors projected on the horizontal plane of the sum of the vector (t) and the vector (m) is (0), then the hull remains horizontal. Step 4: When the hull needs to sink, float and further adjust the hull attitude, each ballast tank (2) independently sends out or inputs water, and calculates vector (n), vector (t) and vector (m) together to obtain the sum vector. When the direction of the sum vector is vertical, the hull is horizontal and the value is the draft.

2. The ship attitude control guidance method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The changes in the center of mass positions of the hull, ballast water tank (2), positive electrode tank (11), and negative electrode tank (12) are obtained by calculation using, but not limited to, water level sensors, gyroscopes, particle concentration meters, and density sensors.

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