Aqueous All-Copper Redox Flow Battery Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current all-copper redox flow batteries face challenges with low currents and cross-contamination issues, limiting their industrial scalability and efficiency, and require cost-effective, environmentally safe, and up-scalable energy storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous all-copper redox flow battery design utilizing the Cu0—Cu(I)-Cu(II) system with microporous separators and no catalysts or ion-exchange membranes, allowing for high concentrations of electroactive species and efficient energy storage with reduced costs and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ion-exchange membranes are used in all-copper redox flow batteries, then cross-contamination between half-cells is prevented, but manufacturing costs increase and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ion-exchange membrane component entirely from the system. Instead of using traditional Nafion membranes, the invention employs a membraneless design where the half-cells are physically separated but allow free ion transport through the electrolyte interface, eliminating the need for expensive ion-exchange membranes while maintaining battery functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolyte itself serves multiple functions: it acts as the ion conductor, the charge carrier medium, and the boundary between half-cells. The supporting electrolyte (e.g., H2SO4) enables both Cu/Cu2+ reactions in one half-cell and supports ion transport without requiring separate membrane components
2Productivity
If catalysts are used to enhance electrochemical reactions, then reaction efficiency improves, but manufacturing costs increase and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a catalyst-free system where the electrochemical reactions proceed without external catalysts. The copper electrodes and supporting electrolyte create favorable conditions for Cu/Cu2+ redox reactions to occur efficiently on their own, eliminating the need for expensive catalyst materials and simplifying the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes reaction conditions by adjusting electrolyte composition (e.g., using H2SO4 as supporting electrolyte), temperature, and concentration parameters to enable efficient electrochemical reactions without catalysts. The Cu/Cu2+ redox couple naturally provides adequate reaction kinetics under the designed operating conditions
3Quantity of substance
If high concentrations of electroactive species are used, then energy density improves, but solubility limits and stability issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high energy density by optimizing the concentration of CuSO4 and supporting electrolyte (H2SO4) within stable solubility limits. The invention uses a concentration regime that maximizes the amount of electroactive Cu2+ ions in solution while maintaining chemical stability and preventing precipitation or decomposition reactions
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolyte is formulated as a composite system combining CuSO4 (source of electroactive Cu2+ ions) with H2SO4 (supporting electrolyte that enhances conductivity and stabilizes the Cu/Cu2+ redox couple). This composite electrolyte composition enables high energy density while maintaining stability through the synergistic effects of both components
4Use of energy by moving object
If gas evolution reactions occur during charging/discharging, then additional energy storage mechanisms are available, but system complexity increases and safety issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects operating voltage windows and electrolyte composition to prevent gas evolution reactions. By controlling the potential range to stay within the stability region of water and electrolyte components, the invention avoids hydrogen and oxygen gas formation, eliminating safety hazards associated with gas accumulation while maintaining efficient electrochemical energy storage through Cu/Cu2+ redox reactions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves adequate power density for industrial applications, eliminates gas evolution, simplifies waste management, and ensures long-term performance with high energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, comparable to traditional vanadium redox flow batteries.
Implementation Method 1
Reduction-oxidation i.e. Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs) store electrical energy in a chemical form and subsequently dispense the stored energy in an electrical form via a spontaneous reverse redox reaction
Implementation Method 2
a separator between the first and the second half-cell, separating the half-cell solutions from each other
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to aqueous all-copper redox flow batteries. This battery comprises at least one first and second half-cell compartments including the first and second aqueous electrolyte solutions comprising a copper compound and supporting electrolytes and a first and second electrodes. The battery further comprises external storage tanks for the electrolytes residing outside of the half-cell compartments, and means for circulating the electrolytes to and from the half-cells. There is a separator between the first and the second half-cell, and the half-cells of this battery are configured to conduct oxidation and reduction reactions for charging and discharging the battery.