Quinone Flow Battery Protonation for Grid Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flow batteries, such as vanadium redox flow batteries, face challenges in scalability, high costs per kWh, and limitations in dispatchability of intermittent renewable power sources due to high costs and limited cycle life, while solid electrode batteries have inadequate peak-power discharge times.
Innovation Solution
A quinone-based flow battery that stores electrical energy through the protonation of quinones to hydroquinones, allowing for a closed system with high current density, long lifetime, and reduced costs through the use of inexpensive chemicals and materials, eliminating the need for precious metals and operating at room temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vanadium redox flow batteries are used for grid-scale energy storage, then reliability and cycle life are improved, but cost per kWh increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive vanadium electrolyte with inexpensive organic quinone-based electrolytes that can be synthesized at low cost. The organic molecules serve as disposable, renewable reactants that eliminate the need for costly precious metals while maintaining acceptable cycle life through stable molecular structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by transitioning from inorganic vanadium salts to organic quinone compounds, altering the redox chemistry from V2+/V3+ and V3+/V4+ couples to quinone/hydroquinone couples. This parameter change dramatically reduces material costs while preserving the flow battery's long-duration energy storage capability.
2Power
If solid electrode batteries are used for energy storage, then power density is improved, but duration of action (peak-power discharge time) is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery system into separate power and energy components: the electrochemical cell stack provides high power density, while external tanks store large volumes of quinone electrolyte for extended duration. This segmentation allows independent optimization of power and energy, enabling both high power density and long discharge times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the conventional solid-electrode paradigm to a flow battery architecture where energy is stored in liquid electrolyte circulating through external tanks. This dimensional change separates the power-generating electrochemical reaction from the energy-storing chemical reactants, enabling scalable long-duration discharge.
3Ease of manufacture
If flow battery architecture is used for energy storage, then scalability and cost per kWh are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs hydraulic flow systems to circulate quinone electrolyte between external storage tanks and the electrochemical cell stack. This hydraulic architecture enables simple, scalable energy storage by decoupling the power-generating component from the energy-storing tanks, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to integrated designs.
4Power
If zinc-bromine hybrid flow battery is used, then power density is improved, but reliability decreases due to dendrite formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates zinc metal plating and uses stable organic quinone molecules as the energy-storing medium. This replacement of reactive metals with chemically stable organic compounds eliminates dendrite formation while maintaining high power density through efficient electron transfer 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 quinone-based flow battery achieves high efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, enabling the dispatchability of intermittent renewable energy sources with improved power and energy storage capabilities, reducing the overall cost per kWh and extending cycle life.
Implementation Method 1
Electrical energy is stored chemically at an electrochemical electrode by the protonation of small organic molecules called quinones to hydroquinones
Implementation Method 2
These reactions are reversed to deliver electrical energy
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The invention provides an electrochemical cell based on a new chemistry for a flow battery for large scale, e.g., gridscale, electrical energy storage. Electrical energy is stored chemically in quinone molecules having multiple oxidation states, e.g., three or more. During charging of the battery, the quinone molecules at one electrode are oxidized by emitting electrons and protons, and the quinone molecules at the other electrode are reduced by accepting electrons and protons. These reactions are reversed to deliver electrical energy. The invention also provides additional high and low potential quinones that are useful in rechargeable batteries.