Electrolyte storage tank and flow battery

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of flow batteries, in particular to an electrolyte storage tank and a flow battery. The electrolyte storage tank comprises a main body (1) formed as a revolving body, and the main body is provided with a first symmetry plane passing through a revolving center line. The electrolyte storage tank further comprises at least two first interfaces (2) arranged at the top of the main body, and the first interfaces are arranged in a pairwise symmetrical mode relative to a first symmetrical plane, so that after the electrolyte storage tank rotates around the rotation center line by 180 degrees, the positions of the first interfaces and the positions of the corresponding first interfaces before rotation are in mirror symmetry relative to a second symmetrical plane perpendicular to the first symmetrical plane. According to the technical scheme, the electrolyte storage tanks before and after rotation can be connected through the shortest pipeline and the minimum bending angle, so that the electrolyte storage tanks and the electrolyte storage tanks can be respectively used as positive and negative storage tanks of a flow battery system; therefore, the requirements of a flow battery system on positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks can be met by only producing the electrolyte storage tank, and the electrolyte storage tank is suitable for batch production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of liquid flow batteries, in particular to an electrolyte storage tank and a liquid flow battery using the electrolyte storage tank. Background Art

[0002] Liquid flow batteries are an electrochemical energy storage technology consisting of a stack unit, electrolyte, electrolyte storage and supply unit, and management and control unit. By storing the positive and negative electrolytes separately and circulating them separately, and then passing the electrolytes through the battery stack to generate electricity when needed, a battery structure with high capacity, wide application scenarios, and long service life is obtained. According to the demand for electricity consumption and power consumption in the electricity usage scenario, the number of connected electrolyte storage and supply units can be adjusted so that a single liquid flow battery system can be applied to multiple scenarios, making the liquid flow battery flexible and scalable. With the advancement of technology and the reduction of costs, liquid flow batteries are constantly occupying the market in the energy storage field.

[0003] An electrolyte tank is a container used to store electrolyte in a flow battery, serving as a form of electrolyte storage and supply unit. Traditional electrolyte tanks typically require welding to connect various functional structures, such as flanges. Both the tank body and flanges are welded, which can lead to weld failure when the tank carries large amounts of electrolyte, causing cracking and leakage. Rotomolding, however, allows the tank body and flanges to be integrally formed, eliminating the possibility of weld failure and ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the tank when carrying large amounts of electrolyte.

[0004] In current flow battery systems, the piping interfaces on the positive and negative electrode liquid storage tanks are typically arranged in a mirror-symmetrical pattern. This facilitates the layout of the electrolyte delivery pipeline between the two tank bodies, allowing the pipelines to be arranged with the shortest distance and smallest bend angles, thereby reducing the risk of electrolyte leakage as the pipeline passes through the pipelines. However, due to the one-piece molding characteristics of the integrated rotationally molded liquid storage tank, its top and the interfaces on it cannot be repositioned by re-welding, making it difficult to adapt to the design model of the current liquid flow battery system. In addition, there is currently no unified interface standard for different liquid flow battery systems. The position, size, and number of flanges on the liquid storage tanks of each liquid flow battery system are different, which is not conducive to the development of a unified rotational molding mold for mass production.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, this application proposes an electrolyte storage tank that is convenient for mass production. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the utility model is to solve the problem existing in the prior art of how to provide an electrolyte storage tank that can be applicable to different liquid flow battery systems and can be easily mass-produced.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, an electrolyte storage tank comprising a main body and a first interface. The main body is formed as a body of revolution and has a first plane of symmetry passing through a rotational centerline. The first interfaces are provided on a top portion of the main body, and are at least two in number. The first interfaces are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first plane of symmetry, so that after the electrolyte storage tank is rotated 180° about the rotational centerline, the positions of the first interfaces are mirror-imaged with respect to the positions of the corresponding first interfaces before the rotation about a second plane of symmetry perpendicular to the first plane of symmetry.

[0008] Preferably, the device further comprises at least two second interfaces arranged on the side wall of the main body, and the second interfaces are symmetrically arranged in pairs with respect to the first symmetry plane.

[0009] Preferably, the interface size of each first interface and second interface corresponds to the pipe connected thereto.

[0010] Preferably, the first interface and the second interface that are symmetrical to each other have the same interface size.

[0011] Preferably, flange pipes and flange plates for connecting pipes are provided on the first interface and the second interface.

[0012] Preferably, the flange plate is also provided with flange reducers for connecting pipe fittings.

[0013] Preferably, a plurality of reinforcing platforms are provided on the top of the main body, the first interface is provided on the reinforcing platforms, and the reinforcing platforms are symmetrically arranged in pairs about the first symmetry plane.

[0014] Preferably, a manhole leading to the interior of the main body is further provided on the top of the main body, and a ladder is further provided on the side wall of the main body.

[0015] Preferably, the first interface and the main body are integrally formed by a rotational molding process.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a liquid flow battery system using the above electrolyte storage tank.

[0017] Through the above technical solution, the electrolyte storage tank can be used as the positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks of various liquid flow battery systems. In the liquid flow battery system, in order to improve the working efficiency of the liquid flow system, reduce the risk of liquid leakage in the electrolyte pipeline and save space, when arranging the pipeline, it is necessary to follow the layout principle of short pipeline path, few pipeline bends, and no stacking of pipelines in height. Therefore, it is required that the positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks can be mirror-symmetrical with each other about a plane located at the midpoint of the two. After rotating 180°, this electrolyte storage tank is mirror-symmetrical with the electrolyte storage tank before rotation about a second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane. The electrolyte storage tanks before and after rotation are used as the positive and negative tanks in the liquid flow battery system respectively, which can meet the above layout principles. Therefore, the positive and negative tanks can be produced simultaneously by only one production line for the electrolyte storage tanks provided in this technical solution. At the same time, through the multiple first interfaces on the electrolyte storage tank body, the interface to be connected can be selected according to the needs of different liquid flow battery system pipelines, thereby making the electrolyte storage tank applicable to multiple liquid flow battery systems, further improving the flexibility of the electrolyte storage tank, so that the electrolyte storage tank can meet the needs of positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks in various liquid flow battery systems. By mass-producing the electrolyte storage tank, a variety of different liquid flow battery systems can be formed, and the electrolyte storage tank is easy to mass-produce. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the top structure of an embodiment of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a front view structural diagram of an embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the utility model.

[0022] Description of Reference Numerals

[0023] 1. Main body; 2. First interface; 3. Second interface; 4. Reinforced platform; 5. Manhole; 601. Flange pipe; 602. Flange plate; 603. Flange reducer; 7. Ladder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] It should be noted that, in the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means greater than or equal to two; terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer" indicating directions or positional relationships are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of this disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0025] In addition, the terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this disclosure do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. "Perpendicular" does not mean perpendicular in the strict sense, but rather means within the tolerance range. "Parallel" does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but rather means within the tolerance range. "Include" or "comprising" and similar terms mean that the elements preceding the term include the elements listed after the term, and do not exclude the possibility of also including other elements.

[0026] The purpose of the utility model is to solve the problem existing in the prior art of how to provide an electrolyte storage tank that can be applicable to different liquid flow battery systems and can be easily mass-produced.

[0027] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first aspect of the present invention provides an electrolyte storage tank, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electrolyte storage tank includes a main body 1, which is formed into a body of revolution and has a first symmetry plane A passing through the centerline of revolution. The electrolyte storage tank also includes at least two first interfaces 2 provided on the top of the main body. The first interfaces 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first symmetry plane A. After the electrolyte storage tank is rotated 180° about the centerline of revolution, the positions of the first interfaces 2 and the positions of the corresponding first interfaces 2 before the rotation are mirror-symmetrical with each other about a second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane A.

[0028] Through the first interface 2 arranged as described above on the top of the main body 1, the electrolyte storage tank can be used as a positive and negative electrolyte storage tank for various liquid flow battery systems. In a liquid flow battery system, in order to improve the system's operating efficiency, reduce the risk of liquid leakage in the electrolyte pipeline and save space, the layout of the pipeline should follow the principle of short pipeline paths, few pipeline bends, and no stacking of pipelines in height. Therefore, it is required that the positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks can be mirror-symmetrical with each other about a plane located at the midpoint between them. After rotating 180°, the electrolyte storage tank is mirror-symmetrical with the electrolyte storage tank before rotation about a second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane A. The electrolyte storage tanks before and after rotation are used as the positive and negative tanks in the liquid flow battery system respectively, which can meet the above-mentioned layout principles. Therefore, the positive and negative tanks can be produced simultaneously by only one production line for the electrolyte storage tanks provided in this technical solution. At the same time, through the multiple first interfaces 2 on the electrolyte storage tank body, the interface to be connected can be selected according to the needs of different liquid flow battery system pipelines, thereby making the electrolyte storage tank applicable to a variety of liquid flow battery systems, further improving the flexibility of the electrolyte storage tank, so that the electrolyte storage tank can meet the needs of various liquid flow battery systems for positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks. By mass-producing the electrolyte storage tank, a variety of different liquid flow battery systems can be formed, and the electrolyte storage tank is easy to mass-produce.

[0029] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown, the electrolyte storage tank also includes at least two second interfaces 3 provided on the side wall of the main body 1, and the second interfaces 3 are symmetrically arranged in pairs about the first symmetry plane A. By arranging the second interfaces 3 in the above manner, after the electrolyte storage tank is rotated 180° around the rotation centerline, it can be ensured that the positions of the second interfaces 3 and the positions of the corresponding second interfaces 3 before the rotation are mirror-symmetrical with each other about the second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane A, so that when two electrolyte storage tanks of the present invention are used as positive and negative electrolyte storage tanks, by installing electrolyte pipelines on the second interfaces 3 corresponding to each other, it is possible to ensure that the pipeline length and the bending angle are minimized, which facilitates the arrangement of the pipeline and reduces the risk of pipeline leakage or even rupture caused by excessive contents due to too small a pipeline bending angle or too long a pipeline.

[0030] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown, the electrolyte storage tank includes at least one second interface 3 located at the bottom side of the main body 1. By arranging the second interface 3 at the bottom side of the main body 1, the electrolyte in the electrolyte storage tank can be completely drained without residue through the use of the second interface 3, making it easier to reuse the electrolyte storage tank.

[0031] Preferably, if Figure 1As shown, the interface size of each first interface 2 and second interface 3 corresponds to the pipe it is connected to. Before production, the size of the pipeline is aligned with the electrolyte delivery pipe it is connected to, which can ensure smooth installation of the pipeline and avoid the risk of leakage caused by adding adapters.

[0032] Preferably, if Figure 1 As shown, the mutually symmetrical first interface 2 and second interface 3 have the same interface size. By using multiple pairs of corresponding first interfaces 2 and second interfaces 3, when using the electrolyte storage tank, the corresponding first interfaces 2 and second interfaces 3 can be selected by selecting the corresponding pipeline size, thereby adjusting the position of each pipeline connecting to the electrolyte storage tank to facilitate the arrangement of the pipelines.

[0033] Preferably, if Figure 3 As shown, the first interface 2 and the second interface 3 are provided with a flange pipe 601 and a flange plate 602 for connecting pipe fittings. The flange pipe 601 and flange plate 602 provided on the first interface 2 and the second interface 3 allow the first interface 2 and the second interface 3 to be detachably connected to the pipeline, thereby allowing the electrolyte storage tank to be connected to different pipelines and reused multiple times. At the same time, the connection between the flange plate 602 and the pipeline allows the flange plate 602 and the pipeline to be connected by bolts, thereby ensuring a tight connection between the first interface 2 and the second interface 3.

[0034] Preferably, if Figure 3 As shown, a flange reducer 603 for connecting pipes is also provided on the flange 602. The size of the lower portion of the flange reducer 603 is the same as the size of the flange 602 on the first interface 2 or the second interface 3 to which it is connected, and the size of the upper portion is the same as the size of the electrode liquid pipeline to which it is connected. This allows pipelines of different sizes to be transferred to each of the first interface 2 and the second interface 3, so that the electrolyte storage tank can meet the pipeline size requirements of various liquid flow battery systems.

[0035] Preferably, all the first interfaces 2 and the second interfaces 3 are of the same size. By setting the first interfaces 2 and the second interfaces 3 of the same size, a plurality of flange pipes 601 and flange plates 602 of the same size can be used in combination, and then, according to the pipe size required by the liquid flow battery system to which the electrolyte storage tank is applied, flange reducers 603 are installed on each of the first interfaces 2 and the second interfaces 3, so that the pipes of different sizes from the first interfaces 2 and the second interfaces 3 are transferred to the first interfaces 2 and the second interfaces 3. Through the above arrangement, it can be ensured that the electrolyte storage tank using this arrangement can be applied to different liquid flow battery systems only by adding different flange reducers, without changing the size of each first interface 2 and the second interface 3 in the mold, so that only one production line for producing electrolyte storage tanks using this arrangement can meet the needs of various liquid flow battery systems for electrolyte storage tanks, thereby saving the production cost of the electrolyte storage tanks.

[0036] Preferably, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of reinforcing platforms 4 are provided on the top of the main body 1, and the first interfaces 2 are provided on the reinforcing platforms 4, and the reinforcing platforms 4 are symmetrically arranged in pairs about the first symmetry plane A. By providing symmetrical reinforcing platforms 4 and arranging the first interfaces 2 on the reinforcing platforms, it is possible to avoid the impact of providing multiple first interfaces 2 on the strength of the top of the main body 1. At the same time, it also provides a standing position on the top of the main body 1 for maintenance personnel when performing maintenance on the electrolyte storage tank, thereby facilitating maintenance of the electrolyte storage tank.

[0037] Preferably, if Figure 1 As shown, a manhole 5 leading to the interior of the main body 1 is provided on the top of the main body 1, and a ladder 7 is provided on the side wall of the main body 1. When the electrolyte storage tank and its interior need maintenance or inspection, the relevant maintenance personnel can climb to the top of the main body 1 via the ladder 7 and enter the interior of the main body 1 through the manhole 5 to perform relevant maintenance and repair work.

[0038] Preferably, the first interface 2 and the main body 1 are integrally formed using a rotational molding process. By eliminating welds between the integrally molded electrolyte tank main body 1 and each first interface 2, the risk of cracking and leakage caused by weld failure in the electrolyte tank can be avoided. Furthermore, the rotational molding process requires fewer steps than traditional welding processes, enabling more efficient production of the electrolyte tank on a production line.

[0039] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown, the main body 1 is cross-arranged with a plurality of reinforcing ribs protruding from the outer surface of the main body 1. The reinforcement ribs can enhance the structural strength of the main body 1, thereby ensuring that the electrolyte storage tank can maintain its integrity when subjected to impact or when high pressure occurs inside the tank, thereby avoiding electrolyte leakage.

[0040] A second aspect of the present invention provides a liquid flow battery system using the above-mentioned electrolyte storage tanks. The liquid flow battery system uses the above-mentioned electrolyte storage tanks of uniform specifications, wherein one or more of the above-mentioned electrolyte storage tanks are arranged in any manner as positive electrode tanks, and the above-mentioned electrolyte storage tank is rotated 180° about the rotation centerline as the negative electrode tank, so that the position of the first interface and the position of the corresponding first interface before rotation are mirror-symmetric about a second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane, thereby enabling each electrolyte pipeline to be connected to each positive and negative electrode tank to take the shortest path and the least number of bends, thereby reducing the risk of leakage or even rupture of the pipeline.

[0041] Thus far, various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein.

[0042] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art will be able to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrolyte storage tank, characterized in that: include A main body (1) formed as a body of revolution and having a first symmetry plane (A) passing through a center line of revolution; At least two first interfaces (2) are provided on the top of the main body (1), and the first interfaces (2) are arranged symmetrically in pairs about the first symmetry plane (A), so that after the electrolyte storage tank rotates 180° about the rotation center line, the positions of the first interfaces (2) and the positions of the corresponding first interfaces (2) before the rotation are mirror-symmetrical with each other about a second symmetry plane perpendicular to the first symmetry plane (A).

2. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes at least two second interfaces (3) arranged on the side wall of the main body (1), and the second interfaces (3) are symmetrically arranged in pairs with respect to the first symmetry plane (A).

3. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 2, characterized in that The interface size of each of the first interface (2) and the second interface (3) corresponds to the pipe to which it is connected.

4. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 3, characterized in that The first interface (2) and the second interface (3) which are symmetrical to each other have the same interface size.

5. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first interface (2) and the second interface (3) are provided with flange pipes (601) and flange plates (602) for connecting pipe fittings.

6. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flange (602) is also provided with a flange reducer (603) for connecting pipe fittings.

7. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that A plurality of reinforcing platforms (4) are provided on the top of the main body (1), the first interface (2) is provided on the reinforcing platforms (4), and the reinforcing platforms (4) are symmetrically arranged in pairs with respect to the first symmetry plane (A).

8. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that The top of the main body (1) is also provided with a manhole (5) that can lead to the interior of the main body (1), and the side wall of the main body (1) is also provided with a ladder (7).

9. The electrolyte storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first interface (2) and the main body (1) are integrally formed by a rotational molding process.

10. A flow battery, characterized in that: The invention provides an electrolyte storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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