Redox Flow Battery Pump Restart During Power Failure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Redox flow battery systems cannot perform discharging to a power system during power failures due to the cessation of circulation pumps, necessitating large installation spaces and high costs for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

Innovation Solution

The system operates the circulation pump using the stored electrolyte power, allowing continued operation and discharging to the power system during failures, eliminating the need for a UPS by utilizing the electrolyte's stored power to restart and maintain the pump's operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a UPS is provided to drive circulation pumps during power failure, then the redox flow battery system can maintain circulation pump operation, but the installation space and installation cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecirculation pump operation continuityVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The redox flow battery system uses its own stored electrical energy to automatically restart and drive the circulation pump during power failure, eliminating the need for external UPS equipment. The battery's electrical energy is directly utilized to power the pump motor, enabling self-service operation without additional support systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes the UPS component from the system configuration by utilizing the redox flow battery's inherent electrical energy storage capability. The battery itself serves as the power source, making the separate UPS unit redundant and allowing its removal from the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a UPS is provided to drive circulation pumps during power failure, then the redox flow battery system can maintain circulation pump operation, but the installation cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecirculation pump operation continuityVSAvoidinstallation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The redox flow battery system uses its own stored electrical energy to automatically restart and drive the circulation pump during power failure, eliminating the need for external UPS equipment. The battery's electrical energy is directly utilized to power the pump motor, enabling self-service operation without additional support systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes the UPS component from the system configuration by utilizing the redox flow battery's inherent electrical energy storage capability. The battery itself serves as the power source, making the separate UPS unit redundant and allowing its removal from the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If the circulation pump stops during power failure, then the system simplifies without UPS, but the redox flow battery system cannot perform discharging to the power system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem configurationVSAvoiddischarging capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The redox flow battery system uses its own stored electrical energy to automatically restart and drive the circulation pump during power failure, eliminating the need for external UPS equipment. The battery's electrical energy is directly utilized to power the pump motor, enabling self-service operation without additional support systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention ensures continuous operation of the circulation pump by using the redox flow battery's electrical energy to maintain pump operation during power failure. This continuity enables the system to perform discharging operations to the power system without interruption, maintaining productivity while simplifying the overall system configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

This solution enables the redox flow battery system to discharge independently during power failures, reducing installation space requirements, enhancing battery capacity, and lowering installation costs by eliminating the need for a UPS.

Implementation Method 1

a redox flow battery (1) performing charging and discharging between the redox flow battery (1) and a power system (9)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation-reduction reaction: Redox Reactions

Data Source

PatentEP3644424B1Redox flow battery system and method for operating redox flow battery system
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3644424B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3644424B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3644424B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A redox flow battery system includes a cell that performs charging and discharging between the cell and a power system, a tank that stores an electrolyte supplied to the cell, a circulation pump that circulates the electrolyte between the cell and the tank, a power converter disposed between the cell and the power system, and a charge/discharge control unit that controls an operation of the power converter to control charging and discharging of the cell. When the charge/discharge control unit detects power failure in the power system, the charge/discharge control unit controls the power converter such that power of the electrolyte remaining in the cell is supplied to the circulation pump.