Hydrogen-X Flow Battery Pipeline Coupling for Low-Cost Long-Duration Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydrogen-X flow battery systems face high investment costs due to hydrogen tanks and pressurized electrolyte tanks, and inefficiencies in electrolyte pumping, making them non-cost competitive, with issues of hydrogen diffusion into the electrolyte requiring costly filters and reducing storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
Coupling the hydrogen-X flow battery system to a hydrogen pipeline network, using atmospheric electrolyte tanks with a bromine scrubber to remove bromine gas, and incorporating an energy recovery system to recycle hydraulic and thermal energy, along with electrochemical compression to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If hydrogen tanks and pressurized electrolyte tanks are used in hydrogen-X flow battery systems, then the system can store and deliver energy, but investment costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hydrogen storage function from the flow battery system by coupling it to an external hydrogen pipeline network. This separates the energy storage function (electrolyte) from the hydrogen storage function (pipeline), allowing the flow battery to use atmospheric pressure electrolyte tanks while maintaining operational capability through pipeline hydrogen supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the flow battery system to serve multiple functions: energy storage through the electrolyte, hydrogen storage through pipeline coupling, and grid stabilization. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks within the battery system itself.
2Quantity of substance
If pressurized electrolyte tanks are used, then hydrogen can be stored at higher density, but pumping inefficiencies increase energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pressurization function from the electrolyte tank system by coupling to the external hydrogen pipeline for hydrogen storage. The electrolyte tanks operate at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for high-pressure pumping while maintaining hydrogen storage capability through the pipeline network.
3Quantity of substance
If hydrogen is stored in tanks within the flow battery system, then energy storage capacity increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hydrogen storage function from the internal battery system and relocates it to the external pipeline network. This simplifies the battery system architecture by removing hydrogen tanks, pressure regulation equipment, and safety systems, while maintaining energy storage capacity through the coupled pipeline infrastructure.
4Loss of substance
If hydrogen diffuses into the electrolyte, then some hydrogen is lost, but costly filters are required to remove it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bromine scrubber as an intermediary component that captures bromine vapor from the electrolyte tank headspace before it can diffuse into the hydrogen pipeline. This prevents bromine contamination of the hydrogen while allowing the system to operate efficiently without costly filters for hydrogen recovery.
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
Reduces investment costs and increases energy efficiency, enabling storage duration from 6-10 hours to 100-150 hours, achieving cost-effective storage for renewable energy systems.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane electrode assembly, the membrane electrode assembly configured to only allow a diffusion of protons through the membrane electrode assembly between the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen chamber and the liquid electrolyte in the electrolyte chamber
Implementation Method 2
an electrolyte tank coupled to the at least one cell and to the energy recovery system, the electrolyte tank comprising a bromine scrubber
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention generally relates to a flow battery assembly used to electrochemically generate and store electric power, especially to a flow battery assembly in which both charging and discharging reactions happen in the presence of hydrogen and of an electrolyte comprising a halogen ion or a mixture of halogen ions.