Auxiliary device for flow battery storage tank

Abstract

The utility model relates to an auxiliary device for a flow battery storage tank. The auxiliary device comprises a mounting cover which is fixed at the top of a tank body and covers an opening in the top of the storage tank; the air supply pipe penetrates through the mounting cover, the bottom of the air supply pipe is located at the bottom in the tank body, and the top of the air supply pipe extends out of the mounting cover; the gas distribution pipe group is communicated with the gas supply pipe, the gas distribution pipe group is arranged at the bottom in the tank body, and inert gas is introduced into the gas supply pipe and is released to the bottom in the tank body through the gas distribution pipe group. The utility model provides an auxiliary device for a flow battery storage tank, which is compact in structure, enables inert gas to be distributed in the storage tank more uniformly, and ensures stable operation of the whole battery system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to a battery field especially relates to a kind of auxiliary device for liquid flow battery storage tank. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the operation process of all-vanadium redox flow battery system, the electrolyte in the storage tank needs to be protected by inert gas. Currently, nitrogen gas, which is low in cost and easy to produce, is usually selected. This is because during the charging and discharging process of the battery system, the harmful gas components in the air will have an adverse effect on the electrolyte, especially the negative electrolyte.

[0003] In the liquid flow battery system, the electrolyte is in a long-term non-operation and static storage state, especially in the static state after charging. Due to the gravitational effect on the internal ions of the electrolyte in the storage tank, the heavier ions tend to deposit at the bottom of the tank, causing stratification of the electrolyte inside the tank. When the battery system is restarted, it will cause uneven distribution of reactants and imbalance, which will adversely affect the overall operation of the battery system. The root cause is the uneven mixing of electrolyte inside the tank, which leads to the problem of uneven distribution of reactants during the charging and discharging process of the existing electrolyte, i.e., some electrolyte has more reactants and some has less.

[0004] In addition, the device for charging inert gas in the existing storage tank is poorly designed. A joint is usually provided on the storage tank to connect the gas charging pipeline. The internal structure and placement position are not designed in detail, which causes the inert gas charged in the storage tank to be not fully filled or overfilled, resulting in damage to the storage tank. SUMMARY

[0005] To solve the above problems of the prior art, the utility model provides an auxiliary device for liquid flow battery storage tank, which is compact in structure and ensures uniform distribution of inert gas in the storage tank, ensuring stable overall operation of the battery system.

[0006] Specifically, the utility model provides an auxiliary device for liquid flow battery storage tank, which includes a tank body provided with an exhaust port, an opening is formed at the top of the tank body, and the auxiliary device includes,

[0007] a mounting cover fixed to the top of the tank body and covering the opening;

[0008] a gas supply pipe provided on the mounting cover, the bottom of the gas supply pipe is located at the bottom of the tank body, and the top of the gas supply pipe extends out of the mounting cover;

[0009] a gas distribution pipe set in communication with the gas supply pipe, the gas distribution pipe set is arranged at the bottom of the tank body, and the inert gas is introduced into the gas supply pipe and released into the bottom of the tank body through the gas distribution pipe set.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present application, the air distribution pipe set comprises,

[0011] The annular pipe and the plurality of connecting pipes are arranged in a radial manner, one end of the plurality of connecting pipes is in communication with the bottom of the air supply pipe, and the other end is in communication with the annular pipe.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present application, the auxiliary device further comprises a distributor arranged at the bottom of the air supply pipe, and the plurality of connecting pipes are in communication with the air supply pipe through the distributor.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present application, the annular pipe is in the shape of a ring, and the air supply pipe is coaxial with the annular pipe.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present application, the plurality of connecting pipes are straight pipes arranged in the radial direction of the annular pipe.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present application, the annular pipe and the plurality of connecting pipes are located in the same plane.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present application, the mounting cover comprises an annular base and a cover body, the cover body is conical, and the mounting cover is fixed to the top of the tank body through the annular base.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present application, the auxiliary device further comprises a pressure relief valve arranged at the top of the cover body.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present application, the pressure relief valve comprises a first pressure relief valve and a second pressure relief valve, the pressure limit value of the first pressure relief valve is greater than the pressure limit value of the second pressure relief valve, and the pressure limit values of the first pressure relief valve and the second pressure relief valve are both greater than the pressure limit value of the exhaust port.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present application, the air supply pipe is arranged on the cover body and is in sealing cooperation with the cover body.

[0020] The auxiliary device for the liquid flow battery storage tank provided by the present application uniformly distributes inert gas into the liquid flow battery storage tank through the air supply pipe and the air distribution pipe set, so that the inert gas is more uniformly arranged in the storage tank, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the whole battery system.

[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description of the present application are exemplary and illustrative, and are intended to provide further explanation of the present application as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present application, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiments of the present application, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present application. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 Fig. 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of an auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 2 Fig. 2 shows a use state diagram of the auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Among them, the above-mentioned drawings include the following reference signs:

[0026] Auxiliary device 100

[0027] Mounting cover 101

[0028] Air supply pipe 102

[0029] Air distribution pipe group 103

[0030] Annular pipe 104

[0031] Connecting pipe 105

[0032] Air hole 106

[0033] Distributor 107

[0034] Annular base 108

[0035] Cover body 109

[0036] Pressure relief valve 110

[0037] First pressure relief valve 111

[0038] Second pressure relief valve 112

[0039] Inflation port 113

[0040] Liquid level 114

[0041] Storage tank 200

[0042] Exhaust port 201

[0043] Tank body 202

[0044] Opening 203 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0046] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely in the description of the embodiments of the present application in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way limiting to the application and its applications or uses. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of the present application.

[0047] It is to be noted that the terms used herein are merely for the purpose of describing the specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and it should be further understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "include" when used in this specification, indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0048] The relative arrangement of the components and steps, numerical expressions, and numerical values set forth in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, unless otherwise specifically stated. It should be understood that the sizes of the various portions shown in the drawings are not drawn to scale for the purpose of convenience of description. The techniques, methods, and devices known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art can not be discussed in detail, but should be considered as part of the specification, if appropriate. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific value should be interpreted as merely exemplary, and not as a limitation. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments can have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0049] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal", and "top, bottom" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate and imply that the indicated device or element must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, unless otherwise stated, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present application; the orientation words "inner, outer" refer to the inner and outer relative to the contour of the components themselves.

[0050] In addition, it should be noted that the use of the terms "first", "second" and the like is merely to distinguish between similar components, and does not have a special meaning unless otherwise stated. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, although the terms used in the present application are selected from commonly known terms, some terms mentioned in the specification of the present application may be selected by the applicant according to his or her judgment, and the detailed meaning thereof is described in the relevant part of the description. In addition, the present application is required to be understood not only by the actual terms used, but also by the meaning implied by each term.

[0051] Figure 1 The structure diagram of the auxiliary device of one embodiment of the utility model is shown. Figure 2 The use state diagram of the auxiliary device of one embodiment of the utility model is shown. As shown in the figure, the present embodiment provides an auxiliary device 100 for a flow battery storage tank 200. It should be noted that the flow battery storage tank 200 is mainly used for storing electrolyte. In the working process of the flow battery, the electrolyte circulates between the storage tank 200 and the battery stack. For example, in a full-vanadium flow battery, the positive and negative electrolytes are stored in different storage tanks, and these electrolytes enter and exit the battery stack through the circulation system during the charging and discharging process of the battery, realizing the mutual conversion of electrical energy and chemical energy. The flow battery storage tank 200 is usually made of corrosion-resistant materials to resist the corrosion of the electrolyte, ensuring the service life of the storage tank 200 and the purity of the electrolyte.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 The flow battery storage tank 200 includes a tank body 202 provided with an exhaust port 201. An opening 203 is formed at the top of the tank body 202. In combination with Figure 1 As shown, the auxiliary device 100 mainly includes a mounting cover 101, a gas supply pipe 102 and a gas distribution pipe group 103.

[0053] The mounting cover 101 is fixed on the top of the tank body 202 and covers the opening 203. The gas supply pipe 102 is provided on the mounting cover 101. The bottom of the gas supply pipe 102 is located at the bottom of the tank body 202, and the top of the gas supply pipe 102 extends out of the mounting cover 101. A gas filling port 113 is formed at the top of the gas supply pipe 102. Inert gas can enter the gas supply pipe 102 through the gas filling port 113. The gas distribution pipe group 103 communicates with the gas supply pipe 102. The gas distribution pipe group 103 is arranged at the bottom of the tank body 202. Inert gas is introduced into the gas supply pipe 102 and released to the bottom of the tank body 202 through the gas distribution pipe group 103.

[0054] Due to the density difference between the gas and the liquid, the inert gas released through the gas distribution pipe group 103 forms bubbles, which float from the bottom of the tank body 202, i.e. from the liquid below, to the liquid surface 114 due to the buoyancy. The continuous supply of inert gas produces a large number of bubbles, which move upward under the action of buoyancy. This movement process causes disturbance of the liquid inside the electrolyte. That is, the auxiliary device 100 plays a role of stirring the electrolyte through the action of a large number of bubbles, which solves the problems of stratification of the electrolyte due to long-term static placement and uneven distribution of reactants. In addition, because the bubbles emerge from various positions in the electrolyte at the bottom of the tank body 202, they push out other harmful gases in the tank 200 from the bottom to the top, thereby playing a role of complete inert gas protection. The auxiliary device 100 can be used in various working states of the electrolyte, especially in the case of long-term static placement of the electrolyte in a full-charge state and non-discharge state, and in the case of adverse conditions such as low temperature of the electrolyte.

[0055] In some embodiments, the gas distribution pipe group 103 includes a ring-shaped pipe 104 and a plurality of connecting pipes 105. The plurality of connecting pipes 105 are distributed in a fan shape. One end of each connecting pipe 105 is in communication with the bottom of the gas supply pipe 102, and the other end is in communication with the ring-shaped pipe 104. A plurality of gas holes 106 are formed in the ring-shaped pipe 104 and the connecting pipes 105. This structure allows the inert gas transported from the gas supply pipe 102 to be quickly dispersed into the ring-shaped pipe 104 through each connecting pipe 105, ensuring uniform distribution of the gas in a large area at the bottom of the tank body 202, and avoiding the occurrence of local high or low gas concentration. The plurality of gas holes 106 formed in the connecting pipes 105 and the ring-shaped pipe 104 can release gas from various directions, promoting the flow and mixing of the electrolyte around the gas holes 106. The combination of the fan-shaped connecting pipes 105 and the ring-shaped pipe 104 forms a stable structure. This structure can maintain good stability during installation and use, and is not easily deformed or damaged by external forces. The gas distribution pipe group 103 of this structure can withstand a certain vibration and impact, ensuring normal transportation of the gas.

[0056] In some examples, the auxiliary device 100 further comprises a distributor 107. The distributor 107 is disposed at the bottom of the supply pipe 102, and the plurality of connecting pipes 105 communicate with the supply pipe 102 through the distributor 107. The distributor 107 can ensure that each connecting pipe 105 obtains a relatively uniform gas flow. The distributor 107 helps to buffer gas pressure fluctuations. Specifically, the gas pressure in the supply pipe 102 can fluctuate due to changes in the pressure of the gas source or other factors. The distributor 107 can act as a buffer to reduce the impact of these pressure fluctuations on the connecting pipes 105 and the subsequent gas distribution pipe set 103. When the pressure in the supply pipe 102 suddenly rises, the distributor 107 can distribute the excess pressure to each connecting pipe 105, preventing a single connecting pipe 105 from being damaged by excessive pressure. Conversely, when the pressure in the supply pipe 102 decreases, the distributor 107 can also reasonably distribute the limited gas to ensure that each connecting pipe 105 still receives a certain amount of gas supply, maintaining the basic operation of the system.

[0057] In some examples, the annular pipe 104 is in the shape of a circular ring. The supply pipe 102 can be a straight pipe, and its axis coincides with the axis of the annular pipe 104. When the annular pipe 104 is in the shape of a circular ring and the supply pipe 102 coincides with the axis of the annular pipe 104, the gas entering the annular pipe 104 from the supply pipe 102 can be uniformly distributed in a symmetrical manner. This symmetrical structure allows each gas hole 106 on the circumference of the annular pipe 104 to obtain similar gas pressure and flow at the same time, ensuring that the gas released from the gas holes 106 of the annular pipe 104 uniformly covers the entire area at the bottom of the tank 202.

[0058] In some examples, the plurality of connecting pipes 105 are straight pipes arranged radially along the annular pipe 104. The connecting pipes 105 provide the shortest transmission path from the supply pipe 102 to the annular pipe 104. This can minimize the distance that gas flows in the connecting pipes 105, reducing energy loss during gas flow. The straight pipe structure can make the gas flow in the connecting pipes 105 smoother, reducing resistance and turbulence. This helps to maintain stable gas flow, allowing gas to be efficiently transmitted from the supply pipe 102 to the annular pipe 104, improving the gas transmission efficiency of the entire gas distribution pipe set 103.

[0059] In some examples, the annular pipe 104 and the plurality of connecting pipes 105 are located in the same plane. When the annular pipe 104 and the plurality of connecting pipes 105 are located in the same plane, the gas entering the annular pipe 104 from the connecting pipes 105 will achieve relatively stable diffusion in the plane formed by the two. This planar layout helps to form uniform gas distribution at the same height level at the bottom of the tank 202. And the same plane structure makes the force on the entire gas distribution pipe group 103 more uniform in the plane direction. When subjected to external impact force or vibration, this planar structure can better resist external force and reduce pipe deformation or damage caused by uneven force. At the same time, this structure is also conducive to installation and maintenance.

[0060] In some examples, the mounting cover 101 includes an annular base 108 and a cover body 109. The cover body 109 is conical, and the mounting cover 101 is fixed to the top of the tank 202 through the annular base 108 and covers the opening 203 at the top of the tank 202. The conical structure of the cover body 109 helps to improve the sealing effect. The annular base 108 fits the top of the tank 202 and has a relatively large contact area with the top of the tank 202, which can uniformly disperse the pressure received by the cover body 109. The connection between the annular base 108 and the top of the tank 202 can adopt various commonly used connection methods such as welding, flange connection, socket connection, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0061] In some examples, the auxiliary device 100 further includes a pressure relief valve 110. The pressure relief valve 110 is arranged at the top of the cover body 109. When the pressure in the tank 202 is too high, the gas naturally gathers upward, and the pressure relief valve 110 can timely sense and release the pressure. Since the cover body 109 is conical, the pressure relief valve 110 is basically at the highest position, which can most effectively capture and discharge the high-pressure gas in the tank 202, quickly reduce the pressure in the tank, and prevent dangerous situations such as rupture or explosion of the tank 202 due to excessive pressure. The pressure relief valve 110 can be set with a pressure threshold, which is quickly opened when the pressure in the tank 202 reaches the set threshold, thereby ensuring the safety of the entire system.

[0062] In some examples, the pressure relief valve 110 includes a first pressure relief valve 111 and a second pressure relief valve 112. The pressure limit of the first pressure relief valve 111 is higher than that of the second pressure relief valve 112, and the pressure limit of both the first pressure relief valve 111 and the second pressure relief valve 112 is higher than that of the exhaust port 201. This design provides multi-stage pressure relief protection. When the pressure inside the tank 202 starts to rise, the pressure limit of the second pressure relief valve 112 is reached first, and the second pressure relief valve 112 opens to provide preliminary pressure relief, releasing some pressure and controlling the pressure inside the tank 202 to a certain extent. If for some reason, such as the pressure of the gas being filled being too high or the gas being filled too quickly, the pressure inside the tank 202 continues to rise, when the pressure limit of the first pressure relief valve 111 is reached, the first pressure relief valve 111 also opens, further increasing the pressure relief capacity. This is equivalent to setting two lines of defense for the safety of the tank 202, greatly improving the safety of the system in the face of abnormally high pressure, and effectively reducing the risk of serious accidents such as rupture or explosion of the tank 202 due to excessive pressure. The pressure limits of the first pressure relief valve 111, the second pressure relief valve 112, and the exhaust port 201 decrease in turn, and this design can prevent excessive pressure relief. That is, the exhaust port 201 is usually used to maintain the pressure balance inside the tank 202 in normal working conditions, and has a lower pressure limit, which is used to handle normal gas exhaust. When the pressure inside the tank 202 rises slightly but is not yet dangerous, the gas can be normally exhausted through the exhaust port 201. Only when the pressure exceeds the handling capacity of the exhaust port 201 and reaches the pressure limit of the second pressure relief valve 112, will the second pressure relief valve 112 open. This can avoid starting the main pressure relief valve 110 due to some small pressure fluctuations, preventing misoperation and unnecessary pressure relief. Moreover, the pressure limit of the first pressure relief valve 111 is higher, further ensuring that it will only open in an emergency situation that requires significant pressure relief, avoiding excessive pressure relief that causes the pressure inside the tank 202 to be too low and affecting normal storage. It should be noted that the pressure relief valve 110 is only used for exhaust, and gas outside the storage tank 200 must not enter the inside of the storage tank 200 through the pressure relief valve 110. The specific pressure relief parameters are determined according to the user's needs or design requirements. As an example and not limitation, the auxiliary device 100 can also be provided with more pressure relief valves 110, and the number of pressure relief valves 110 is not limited.

[0063] In some examples, the gas supply pipe 102 is provided through the cover 109 and sealingly engages the cover 109, which helps to maintain the pressure inside the tank 202 stable.

[0064] In some examples, the components of the auxiliary device 100 are made of corrosion-resistant, high and low temperature-resistant materials with certain hardness.

[0065] As is apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications and changes can be made to the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, it is intended that the present application cover modifications and changes as long as they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An auxiliary device for a liquid flow battery storage tank, said liquid flow battery storage tank comprising a tank body provided with a gas exhaust port, an opening is formed at the top of said tank body, characterized in that, The auxiliary device comprises, a mounting cover fixed on the top of the tank body and covering the opening; a gas supply pipe penetrating the mounting cover, the bottom of the gas supply pipe being located in the bottom of the tank body and the top of the gas supply pipe extending out of the mounting cover; a gas distribution pipe group in communication with the gas supply pipe, the gas distribution pipe group being arranged in the bottom of the tank body, inert gas being introduced into the gas supply pipe and being released into the bottom of the tank body through the gas distribution pipe group.

2. The supplemental device of claim 1, wherein, The gas distribution pipe group comprises, a ring pipe and a plurality of connecting pipes, the plurality of connecting pipes being distributed in a radial manner, one end of the plurality of connecting pipes being in communication with the bottom of the gas supply pipe and the other end being in communication with the ring pipe, a plurality of gas holes being formed in the ring pipe and the connecting pipes.

3. The supplemental device of claim 2, wherein, a distributor arranged at the bottom of the gas supply pipe, the plurality of connecting pipes being in communication with the gas supply pipe through the distributor.

4. The supplemental device of claim 2, wherein, The ring pipe is in the shape of a circular ring, and the axis of the ring pipe coincides with the gas supply pipe.

5. The supplemental device of claim 2, wherein, The plurality of connecting pipes are straight pipes and are arranged in the radial direction of the ring pipe.

6. The supplemental device of claim 2, wherein, The ring pipe and the plurality of connecting pipes are located in the same plane.

7. The supplemental device of claim 1, wherein, The mounting cover comprises a ring-shaped base and a cover body, the cover body being in the shape of a cone, and the mounting cover being fixed on the top of the tank body through the ring-shaped base.

8. The supplemental device of claim 7, wherein, a pressure relief valve arranged at the top of the cover body.

9. The supplemental device of claim 8, wherein, The pressure relief valve comprises a first pressure relief valve and a second pressure relief valve, the pressure limit value of the first pressure relief valve being greater than the pressure limit value of the second pressure relief valve, and the pressure limit values of the first pressure relief valve and the second pressure relief valve being greater than the pressure limit value of the exhaust port.

10. The supplemental device of claim 7, wherein, The gas supply pipe penetrates the cover body and is in sealing engagement with the cover body.

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