Quinone Polyhalide Flow Battery Electrolyte Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Quinone bromine flow batteries face high costs and low voltage due to the use of proton exchange membranes and sulfuric acid as supporting electrolytes, and suffer from bromine contamination issues.

Innovation Solution

A quinone polyhalide flow battery system utilizing a porous membrane with hydrochloric acid as the supporting electrolyte, featuring a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium bromide for the positive electrolyte and hydrochloric acid and anthraquinone for the negative electrolyte, with quaternary ammonium salt molecular bromine complexing agents to form molecular bromine complexes, reducing diffusion and enhancing phase separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a proton exchange membrane is used in the quinone bromine flow battery, then the battery structure is well-defined, but the cost increases and battery voltage decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery structure stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the membrane type parameter from proton exchange membrane to porous membrane, and changes the electrolyte composition parameter to achieve both cost reduction and voltage increase while maintaining structural stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive proton exchange membranes with cheaper porous membranes, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining sufficient battery performance through optimized electrolyte composition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Stability of the object's composition

If sulfuric acid is used as the supporting electrolyte, then the electrolyte system is stable, but the battery voltage is low and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrolyte stabilityVSAvoidbattery voltage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the supporting electrolyte from sulfuric acid to hydrochloric acid, which increases battery voltage while maintaining electrolyte stability through optimized concentration ratios of HCl, sodium bromide, and quinone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If molecular bromine is present in the electrolyte, then the redox reaction is efficient, but bromine diffusion causes contamination and reduces reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveredox reaction efficiencyVSAvoidbromine contamination control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces quaternary ammonium salts as intermediary substances that complex with molecular bromine, reducing its diffusion and contamination while maintaining redox reaction efficiency through controlled complex formation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful diffusion of molecular bromine into a beneficial controlled complexation process, where quaternary ammonium salts bind bromine to prevent contamination while allowing efficient electrochemical reactions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 solution reduces costs, increases battery voltage, and improves cycle stability and performance by using hydrochloric acid and anthraquinone-based electrolytes, with optimized concentrations of HCl, sodium bromide, and quinone, and the addition of specific complexing agents like N-methylethylpyrrolidinium bromide, resulting in enhanced charge and discharge characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

realize the phase separation of electrolyte and reduce the molecular bromine diffusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase separation:

Implementation Method 2

reduce the molecular bromine diffusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

the quaternary ammonium salt molecular bromine complexing agents, which interacts with the molecular bromine to form molecular bromine complex

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComplex formation:

Implementation Method 4

redox reactions of bromine ion/molecular bromine and anthraquinone/hydroanthraquinone occur on the positive and negative electrodes respectively

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRedox reactions: Redox Reactions

Implementation Method 5

the electrolyte are transported to the positive and negative electrodes from the reservoir via the pump(s)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP3223354B1Quinone polyhalide flow battery

Publication Date: 2019.11.13 DALIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Figure 1~2
Figure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a quinone polyhalide flow battery, wherein a positive electrolyte is a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and sodium bromide, and a negative electrode is a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and anthraquinone. The problems that the cost of a quinone bromine flow battery is relatively high and the voltage of the battery is relatively low are improved.