Shared Pressure Vessel Metal Hydrogen Battery

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a shared pressure vessel metal hydrogen battery is disclosed. A metal hydrogen battery according to some embodiments comprises one or more pressure vessels, each of the one or more pressure vessels having one or more electrode stacks, each of the one or more pressure vessels having a fill tube; a manifold coupled to the fill tube of each of the one or more pressure vessels, the manifold having a control device; a storage vessel coupled to the control device, where hydrogen gas stored in the storage vessel is supplied to the one or more pressure vessels through the manifold and the control device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [Related Applications] This disclosure claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 177,602, filed March 2, 2023, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 316,591, filed March 4, 2022, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present invention relate to metal-hydrogen batteries, and in particular to a shared pressure vessel configuration for metal-hydrogen batteries. [Background technology]

[0003] For renewable energy sources, e.g., wind and solar, to be competitive with traditional fossil fuels, large-scale energy storage systems are needed to reduce their inherent intermittency. To build large-scale energy storage, cost and long-term lifetime are the biggest considerations. Pumped hydroelectric storage dominates the current grid energy storage market because it is a cheap way to store large amounts of energy for long periods of time (approximately 50 years), but is constrained by a lack of suitable locations and an environmental footprint. Other technologies, such as compressed air and flywheel energy storage, show some different advantages, but their relatively low efficiency and high cost should be significantly improved for grid storage. Rechargeable batteries offer a great opportunity to target low-cost, high-capacity, and highly reliable systems for large-scale energy storage. Improving the reliability of rechargeable batteries has become a key issue for realizing large-scale energy storage.

[0004] Consequently, there is a need for better metal-hydrogen battery construction. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a shared pressure vessel metal hydrogen battery is disclosed. A metal hydrogen battery according to some embodiments comprises one or more pressure vessels, each of the one or more pressure vessels having one or more electrode stacks, each of the one or more pressure vessels having a fill tube; a manifold coupled to the fill tube of each of the one or more pressure vessels, the manifold having a control device; a storage vessel coupled to the control device, where hydrogen gas stored in the storage vessel is supplied to the one or more pressure vessels through the manifold and the control device.

[0006] These and other embodiments are discussed below with respect to the following figures. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] An understanding of the features and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be gained by reference to the following detailed description, which sets forth illustrative embodiments with reference to the following figures.

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a metal-hydrogen battery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a metal-hydrogen battery having a shared pressure vessel configuration according to some embodiments.

[0010] [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates another example of a metal-hydrogen battery having a shared pressure vessel configuration according to some embodiments.

[0011] [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates another example of a metal-hydrogen battery having a shared pressure vessel configuration, according to some embodiments.

[0012] These figures are discussed further below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] In the following description, specific details are described to illustrate some aspects of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that some embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Those skilled in the art may recognize other elements that are not specifically described herein but are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Such modifications may include the substitution of known equivalents for any aspect of the present disclosure to achieve the same result in substantially the same way.

[0014] Consequently, this description illustrates aspects and embodiments of the invention that should not be understood as limiting, and the claims define the invention that is protected. Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.

[0015] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout this specification and the claims, the term "comprises" and variations thereof, such as "comprises" and "comprising," should be construed in an open, inclusive sense, i.e., "including but not limited to." Throughout this specification, the recitation of numerical ranges of values ​​is intended to serve as a shorthand notation for individually referring to each separate value within that range, including the values ​​defining the range, and each separate value is incorporated herein as if it were individually set forth herein. Furthermore, the individual values ​​provided for specific components are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The specific dimensional values ​​of various components are provided only as specific examples, and one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided using any dimensions. Additionally, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0016] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, but may in some cases. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0017] In the figures, the relative sizes of components are not meaningful and should not be considered limiting unless otherwise stated. Components are sized in the figures to better illustrate various features and structures without considering the size displayed relative to other components. Furthermore, if there are specific dimensions to illustrate one example of a battery, those specific dimensions are provided only as an example and are not limiting. Batteries according to the embodiments of the disclosure below can be formed with any dimensions using components with any relative dimensions.

[0018] Metal-hydrogen batteries can be constructed in a number of ways. In each case, the battery itself includes one or more electrode stacks, each having a series of electrodes (alternating layers of cathode and anode materials) separated by an electrically insulating separator. The electrode stacks, immersed in an electrolyte, are contained within one or more pressure vessels. The electrode stacks may provide an array of cells (i.e., pairs of cathode and anode electrodes) that may be electrically connected in series or in parallel. Each electrode stack may be configured such that the cells formed in the electrode array are connected in parallel. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the pressure vessels, each containing one or more electrode layers, may be connected to a central storage tank to form a shared pressure vessel configuration.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a metal-hydrogen battery 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The metal-hydrogen battery 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an electrode stack assembly 104 including stacked electrodes separated by a separator 110. Some examples of electrode stack assemblies such as the electrode stack assembly 104 are further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 687,527, filed Mar. 4, 2022, entitled "Electrode Stack Assembly for a Metal Hydrogen Battery"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 830,193, filed Jun. 1, 2022, entitled "Electrode Stack Assembly for a Metal Hydrogen Battery," each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0020] The electrodes in the electrode stack assembly 104 include a cathode 112, an anode 114. A separator 110 is disposed between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. Each pair of cathode 112 and anode 114 electrodes may be considered a cell. The electrode stack 104 may further include a frame 106 that secures the cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110 in place. In the particular example shown in FIG. 1, there are anodes 114 at both the top and bottom of the stack 104 adjacent to the frame 106, however, other arrangements may be formed.

[0021] The electrode stack assembly 104 may be contained within the pressure vessel 102. An electrolyte 126 is also disposed within the pressure vessel 102. The cathode 112, anode 114, and separator 110 are porous to allow the electrolyte 126 to flow between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. In some embodiments, the separator 110 may be omitted so long as the cathode 112 and the anode 114 can be electrically insulated from one another. For example, the space occupied by the separator 110 may be filled with the electrolyte 126. The metal-hydrogen battery 100 may further include a fill tube 122 configured to introduce electrolyte or gas (e.g., hydrogen) into the pressure vessel 102. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the fill tube 122 may be coupled to a gas manifold, which is further connected to a storage vessel such that hydrogen gas may be exchanged between the pressure vessel 102 and the storage vessel, as discussed below.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode stack assembly 104 includes multiple stacked layers of alternating cathodes 112 and anodes 114 separated by separators 110. A cell may be formed by a pair of cathode 112 and anode 114 layers. The cells in the electrode stack assembly 104 may be connected either in parallel or in series, but in the example battery 100 shown in FIG. 1, the cells are connected in parallel. In particular, each of the cathodes 112 is connected to a conductor 118 and each of the anodes 114 is connected to a conductor 116. Although FIG. 1 shows the fill tube 122 positioned on the anode conductor 116 side, it may alternatively be located on the cathode conductor 118 side or within a sidewall of the pressure vessel 102.

[0023] Additionally, in the example of FIG. 1, the pressure vessel 102 is shown as a cylindrical vessel. In general, the pressure vessel 102 can be any shape large enough to receive the electrode stack 104 and hold the pressures involved during operation. Additionally, in FIG. 1, the electrode stack 104 is shown as oriented along the length of the pressure vessel 102. However, the electrode stack 104 can instead be configured such that the electrodes are oriented laterally. Consequently, the electrode stack 104 can be of any shape or orientation.

[0024] 1, a conductor 116 coupled to the anode 114 is electrically coupled to an anode feedthrough terminal 120, which may be the negative terminal of the battery 100. The terminal 120 may include a feedthrough to allow the terminal 120 to extend outside the pressure vessel 102, or the conductor 116 may be directly connected to the pressure vessel 102. Similarly, a cathode conductor 118 coupled to the cathode 112 may be coupled to a cathode feedthrough terminal 124, which represents the positive side of the battery 100. The terminal 124 also passes through an insulated feedthrough that allows the terminal 124 to extend outside the pressure vessel 102.

[0025] As discussed above, each cell contained within the electrode stack 104 includes a cathode 112 and an anode 114 separated by a separator 110. The electrode stack 104 is positioned within a pressure vessel 102 that allows an electrolyte 126 to flow between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. As discussed further below, the cathode 112 is formed from a conductive substrate coated with a metal compound. Similarly, the anode 114 is formed from a porous conductive substrate coated with a porous catalyst. The separator 110 is a porous insulator that separates the alternating layers of the cathode 112 and the anode 114 and can allow the electrolyte 126 to flow between the cathode 112 and the anode 114. In some embodiments, the electrolyte 126 is an alkaline aqueous electrolyte (having a pH greater than 7). Each of the anode 114 and the cathode 112 can be formed as an electrode assembly having a multi-layered structure, as discussed further below.

[0026] The electrode stack assembly 104, which is the core of the battery 100, operates chemically to charge and discharge the battery 100 through the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR). These reactions are mechanistically more complex in alkaline conditions than in acidic conditions. Active alkaline HER / HOR catalysts tend to have more dynamic surfaces. In acidic conditions, the reaction proceeds as follows: H + to H2, or H2 to H + The activity of catalysts for these reactions in acidic conditions can be closely related to the binding energy of hydrogen to the metal surface. If hydrogen is too strongly or weakly bound, the catalytic process cannot proceed effectively and the kinetic overpotential will be large. Platinum has an ideal binding energy for hydrogen and demonstrates better HER / HOR performance in low pH solutions than any other catalyst. In alkaline conditions, the free H +The concentration of HOR is essentially zero, and therefore HER first proceeds via cleavage of the HO bond of a water molecule to produce surface-adsorbed hydrogen atoms and hydroxide anions according to Equation 1 below. This step is slow on metal surfaces, which results in alkaline HER exchange current densities that are two to three orders of magnitude lower than on the same metal in acid. Hydrogen gas is produced according to Equation 2 or Equation 3 below. This step (Equation 1) occurs in reverse to the last step of HOR and is the rate-limiting step because the metal surface does not strongly interact with the hydroxide anions required to complete the reaction to form HO.

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[0027] To accelerate both HER and HOR on a catalyst, a catalytic material is provided that contains (i) metal sites that bind hydrogen and (ii) metal oxide / metal hydroxide sites that bind hydroxide anions. The interface where the metal and metal oxide meet is highly active for both HER and HOR, and an optimal metal to metal oxide ratio is maintained to achieve high catalytic activity. If the catalyst surface becomes too oxidized during long or high overpotential HOR, it may become inactive, resulting in impaired battery performance.

[0028] Thus, the anode 114 is a catalytic hydrogen electrode. In some embodiments, as discussed above, the anode 114 includes a porous conductive substrate with a catalytic layer covering the porous conductive substrate. The catalytic layer of the anode 114 may cover the outer surface of the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114, and since the porous conductive substrate has internal pores or interconnected channels, it may also cover the surfaces of those pores and channels. The catalytic layer includes a bifunctional catalyst and catalyzes both the hydrogen evolution reaction and the hydrogen oxidation reaction at the anode 114. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 may have a porosity of at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, or at least about 50%, and up to about 80%, up to about 90%, up to about 95%, or more. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 may be a metal foam, such as nickel foam, copper foam, steel foam, aluminum foam, or others. In some embodiments, the porous conductive substrate of the anode 114 can be a metal alloy foam, such as nickel-molybdenum foam, nickel-copper foam, nickel-cobalt foam, nickel-tungsten foam, nickel-silver foam, nickel-molybdenum-cobalt foam, or others. Other conductive substrates, such as metal foils, metal meshes, and fibrous conductive substrates, can be used. In some embodiments, the conductive substrate of the anode 114 can be a carbon-based material, such as carbon fiber paper, carbon cloth, carbon felt, carbon mat, carbon nanotube film, graphite foil, graphite foam, graphite mat, graphene foil, graphene fiber, graphene film, and graphene foam.

[0029] The battery 100 shown in FIG. 1 may exhibit an independent pressure vessel configuration. If the battery 100 exhibits an independent pressure vessel configuration, the pressure vessel 102 may first be filled with electrolyte 126 through the fill tube 122 and later drained through the fill tube 122 before the fill tube 122 is sealed. In this configuration, the stack 104 must be porous enough to retain a sufficient amount of electrolyte 126 for operation of the battery through many charge / discharge cycles throughout its life. During the HER / HOR cycle of the battery 100, when hydrogen is consumed or produced according to Equations 1 to 3 above, the pressure within the pressure vessel 102 may vary significantly (e.g., from 50 psi (344.738 kPa) to 2000 psi (13,789.52 kPa)) throughout the charge / discharge cycle. As a result, the pressure vessel 102 must be strong enough to withstand the pressure cycles associated with cycling the battery 100.

[0030] However, in embodiments of the present disclosure, a shared pressure vessel configuration is disclosed. Figure 2 illustrates a shared pressure vessel (SPV) battery 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the battery 200 includes a plurality of N pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N, each of which includes a corresponding one of the electrode stacks 204-1 to 204-N. The electrode stacks 204-1 to 204-N may be the electrode stacks 104 described above with respect to Figure 1.

[0031] 2, each of the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N includes a fill tube 216-1 to 216-N, respectively. The number of pressure vessels 202, N, may be any number greater than one. Each of the fill tubes 216-1 to 216-N is coupled to a manifold 218. The manifold 218 may include a control device 206 and is coupled to a shared storage tank 208. The shared storage tank 208 may store hydrogen that may be provided to each of the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N through the manifold 218. In some embodiments, the shared storage tank 208 may be formed from multiple storage tanks and has a capacity sufficient to support the charge / discharge cycles of the battery 200. In some embodiments, control device 206 may be coupled to provide stored hydrogen to each of pressure vessels 202-1 through 202-N simultaneously or may be configured to provide hydrogen to each of pressure vessels 202-1 through 202-N independently.

[0032] Device 206 may be a device that controls the flow of hydrogen between pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N and storage vessel 208. Device 206 may be, for example, a straight connection, a valve, a regulator, a compressor, or any combination of these devices. For example, if device 206 is a compressor, the pressure in storage tank 208 may be higher than that of pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N. In some embodiments, the pressure in each of pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N may be kept relatively constant and at a relatively low pressure (e.g., <50 PSI (344.738 kPa)).

[0033] 2, each of the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N includes an electrode stack 204-1 to 204-N, respectively. Each of the electrode stacks 204-1 to 204-N is coupled to a terminal 210-1 to 210-N, respectively, and to a terminal 212-1 to 212-N, respectively. Consequently, the electrode stacks 204-1 to 204-N can be coupled in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel configurations to form the battery 200.

[0034] There are several advantages to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. First, the operating pressure in each of the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N can be regulated to a low pressure. In some embodiments, the operating pressure can be about 40 PSI (275.7904 kPa) or less, as one example. The pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N only need to be large enough to contain the electrode stacks 204-1 to 204-N. Hydrogen can flow between the storage vessel 208 and each of the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N as needed during operation.

[0035] Additionally, a low operating pressure (e.g., down to a partial vacuum at a minimum) may be defined for efficient operation of the battery 200, and this pressure is maintained during operation of the battery 200. This pressure may be controlled by the device 206 such that hydrogen flows between the pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N and the storage vessel 208. Additionally, during long-term storage of the battery 200, the device 206 may shut off the flow of hydrogen such that internal charge leakage or self-discharge of a charged battery may be minimized or even reduced to zero. The storage vessel 208 may be sized to store sufficient hydrogen such that the battery 200 may be cycled through its life of charge / discharge cycles. The storage vessel 208 may be maintained at a high pressure if the control device 206 includes a compressor. The operating pressure and the storage vessel 208 capacity may be configured to provide a reasonable charge rating (C-rating) for the battery 200.

[0036] The storage vessel 208 may be formed from any material that supports the pressure and volume of hydrogen gas discussed above. For example, the storage vessel 208 may be formed from stainless steel, composite materials, carbon fiber composites, rubber, stretchable rubber structures (e.g., balloons or bladders), or any other suitable material.

[0037] As discussed above, because pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N operate at relatively low operating pressures, pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N may be formed from lighter, less expensive materials. For example, pressure vessels 202-1 to 202-N may be formed from plastic, composite, or rubber instead of metal. Additionally, the feedthroughs for terminals 210 (terminals 210-1 to 210-N) and terminals 212 (terminals 212-1 to 212-N) and seals for fill tube 216 (fill tube 216-1 to 216-N) may be more easily and less expensively formed.

[0038] 2, each of the pressure vessels 202-1 through 202-N includes a corresponding one of the electrode stacks 204-1 through 204-N. However, a system may include a pressure vessel that also includes multiple electrode stacks.

[0039] 3 shows a battery 300 including a pressure vessel 302 that includes a plurality of electrode stacks 304. As shown in FIG. 3, the manifold 218 is also coupled to a fill tube 306 of the pressure vessel 302. The battery 300 may similarly include N shared pressure vessels 202-1 through 202-N as shown in FIG. 2. The battery 300 may also include one or more other pressure vessels similar to the pressure vessel 302. In general, any number of pressure vessels 202 and pressure vessels 302 may be included in the battery 300.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, pressure vessel 302 includes a plurality of M electrode stacks 304-1 through 304-M. Each of the electrode stacks 304-1 through 304-M may be formed as discussed for electrode stack 104 shown in Figure 1. In the particular example shown in Figure 3, electrode stacks 304-1 through 304-M are coupled in series, however, in some embodiments, they may be coupled in parallel or a combination of series and parallel configurations. Because the operating pressures in pressure vessel 302 may be minimal, pressure vessel 302 may be made from lightweight materials and limited in size only by the electrode stacks 304 contained therein.

[0041] 4 illustrates another configuration of a shared pressure vessel battery 400, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, N pressure vessels 402-1 through 402-N each include one or more electrode stacks 404. As shown, pressure vessel 402-1 includes electrode stacks 404-1,1 through 404-M1,1, and pressure vessel 402-N includes electrode stacks 404-1,N through 404-MN,N. In general, any combination of individual pressure vessels 402 each having any number of electrode stacks 404 connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel may be used.

[0042] Thus, as discussed above, a shared pressure vessel battery may be formed from any number of pressure vessels 202 as shown in FIG. 2 and any number of pressure vessels 302 as shown in FIG. 3, with a fill tube connected to the storage vessel 208 through the manifold 218 and the control device 206. Hydrogen may then flow between each of the pressure vessels 202 and 302 as needed during operation. Furthermore, the operating pressure of each of the pressure vessels 202 and 302 may be regulated at a relatively low pressure. In addition, because all electrode stacks share the same hydrogen source, the state of charge (SOC) of the entire system is readily available, making charge / discharge control much easier. Similarly, the moisture level of all electrode stacks may be regulated by manipulating the humidity of the hydrogen gas stream. Finally, charge leakage during storage of the shared pressure vessel battery may be minimized by restricting or turning off the flow of hydrogen from the storage vessel 208.

[0043] The embodiments of the present invention described herein are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. one or more pressure vessels, each of the one or more pressure vessels having one or more electrode stacks, each of the one or more pressure vessels having a fill tube; a manifold coupled to the fill tube of each of the one or more pressure vessels, the manifold having a control device; and a storage vessel coupled to the control device, wherein hydrogen gas stored in the storage vessel is supplied to the one or more pressure vessels through the manifold and the control device; A metal hydride battery comprising:

2. The metal hydride battery of claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a compressor.

3. The metal hydride battery of claim 1 , wherein the control device regulates the pressure in the one or more pressure vessels.

4. The metal hydride battery of claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a valve.

5. 4. The metal hydride battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more pressure vessels comprises a plurality of pressure vessels, each of the plurality of pressure vessels containing a single electrode stack.

6. The metal hydride battery of claim 5 , wherein the control device is coupled to each of the plurality of pressure vessels.

7. 4. The metal hydride battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more pressure vessels include a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel containing a plurality of electrode stacks.

8. 8. The metal hydride battery of claim 7, wherein the plurality of electrode stacks are electrically connected in series.

9. 8. The metal hydride battery of claim 7, wherein the plurality of electrode stacks are electrically connected in parallel.

10. 8. The metal hydride battery of claim 7, wherein the plurality of electrode stacks are connected partially in series and partially in parallel.

11. 4. The metal hydride battery of claim 1, wherein the one or more pressure vessels include a plurality of pressure vessels, and at least one of the plurality of pressure vessels includes a plurality of electrode stacks.

12. providing hydrogen from a storage vessel to one or more pressure vessels, each of the one or more pressure vessels having one or more electrode stacks, and a control device coupled between the storage vessel and the one or more pressure vessels; 1. A method of operating a metal hydride battery comprising:

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressure of hydrogen in the one or more pressure vessels is less than 50 PSI (344.738 kPa).

14. 14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the one or more pressure vessels comprises a plurality of pressure vessels, each of the plurality of pressure vessels comprising an electrode stack.

15. 14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the one or more pressure vessels comprises a pressure vessel containing a plurality of electrode stacks.

16. 14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the one or more pressure vessels include a plurality of pressure vessels, and at least one of the plurality of pressure vessels includes a plurality of electrode stacks.

17. a means for providing hydrogen from a storage vessel to one or more pressure vessels, each of said one or more pressure vessels having one or more electrode stacks, and a control device coupled between said storage vessel and said one or more pressure vessels; A metal hydride battery comprising:

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