Passive Flow Battery With Automatic Gas Flow Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flow batteries and reversible fuel cells face challenges with low energy density, high system complexity, and increased costs due to the need for voluminous tanks and complex flow controlling means to manage reactants and products.
Innovation Solution
A passive flow battery system that eliminates the need for balance-of-system components by using a closed system where gaseous electrochemical reaction reactants are converted into products with lower gas pressure, allowing for automatic gas flow and storage as solid or liquid chemical reaction products, reducing system complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flow controlling means (pumps, compressors, condensers) are used to manage reactants and products in flow batteries, then the essential flow of fluid reactants is ensured, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle by designing the flow battery system to automatically manage its own fluid flow without external pumps or compressors. The electrochemical cell is designed with internal structures that enable spontaneous fluid circulation through pressure differentials created during charge and discharge cycles, eliminating the need for balance-of-system flow controlling components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the flow controlling means (pumps, compressors, condensers) from the system entirely. By redesigning the electrochemical cell to inherently manage fluid flow through its internal architecture, the patent eliminates these separate balance-of-system components, thereby reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining reliable operation.
2Quantity of substance
If voluminous tanks are used to store reactants and products in flow batteries, then storage capacity is increased, but energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the storage function with the electrochemical cell itself. Instead of using separate voluminous tanks external to the cell, the design integrates reactant and product storage within the cell structure, allowing the same component to serve both electrochemical conversion and storage functions, thereby improving energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the reactants and products. By designing the system to operate with gases that can be compressed into high-density liquid or solid storage forms, the patent achieves high storage capacity without requiring large volume tanks, thereby improving energy density.
3Ease of operation
If flow controlling means are used in flow batteries, then reactant flow is managed, but system cost increases due to expensive balance-of-system components
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically managing reactant flow through internal pressure differentials generated during electrochemical operation. This eliminates the need for expensive external pumps, compressors, and control systems, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the expensive balance-of-system flow controlling components from the design. By incorporating flow management functionality directly into the electrochemical cell structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate costly components while maintaining effective reactant flow management.
4Reliability
If flow controlling means are used in flow batteries, then fluid flow is ensured, but energy efficiency decreases due to energy consumption by pumps and compressors
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses self-service by generating its own fluid flow through internal pressure differentials created during electrochemical reactions. This eliminates the need for external energy-consuming pumps and compressors, thereby ensuring reliable fluid flow while maintaining high energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the energy-consuming flow controlling means from the system. By designing the electrochemical cell to inherently drive fluid circulation through its internal architecture, the patent eliminates pumps and compressors, thereby ensuring reliable fluid flow without the energy losses associated with mechanical flow control devices.
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 passive flow battery system achieves improved energy density, efficiency, and reduced costs by eliminating the need for balance-of-system components, enabling efficient energy storage and conversion with a self-contained design.
Implementation Method 1
at least one electrochemical cell adapted for in charge mode to convert one or more gaseous electrochemical reaction reactants into one or more gaseous electrochemical reaction products
Implementation Method 2
whereby the battery system is adapted to generate an automatic gas flow between the at least one storage arrangement and cell
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a rechargeable battery system 1, comprising: at least one electrochemical cell 2 adapted for in charge mode to convert one or more gaseous electrochemical reaction reactant(s) 3 into one or more gaseous electrochemical reaction product(s) 4, at least one storage arrangement 5 for storing said gaseous electrochemical reaction reactants and products, wherein at least one of the gaseous electrochemical reaction product(s) 4 is converted to and stored as at least one chemical reaction product(s) 7,11, where said chemical reaction product(s) 7,11 has a lower gas pressure upon formation than the corresponding gaseous electrochemical reaction product(s) 4, a first fluid communication system 12 between the at least one cell and the at least one storage arrangement 5, wherein the first fluid communication system is configured to form a closed system within the battery system, whereby the battery system is adapted to generate an automatic gas flow between the at least one storage arrangement 5 and cell 2.