Redox Flow Battery Reservoir With Bunded Air-Gap Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Redox flow batteries face challenges in efficiently storing and distributing electrolytes, particularly in preventing ion leakage and ensuring effective cooling, which can lead to contamination and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A vanadium redox flow battery design featuring a reservoir arrangement with inner and outer tanks, air circulation gaps for cooling, and a metal framework for support and containment, ensuring safe storage and distribution of electrolytes while preventing leakage and maintaining optimal temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrolyte reservoirs are used for storage and distribution, then the battery can store and distribute electrolytes, but ion leakage may occur through the separator causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested tank configuration where an inner tank containing electrolyte is placed inside an outer bund tank. This nested structure provides containment within containment, ensuring that even if the inner tank leaks, the outer tank prevents electrolyte from escaping into the environment, thus addressing the contamination issue while maintaining reliable storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer bund tank acts as a pre-prepared containment barrier that cushions against potential leakage from the inner tank. This protective structure is in place before any leakage can occur, preventing harmful effects rather than responding to them after they happen, thereby maintaining system reliability while preventing contamination.
2Device complexity
If conventional electrolyte storage is used, then the system is simple, but cooling efficiency is insufficient leading to reduced performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal management dimension by incorporating cooling fins on the outer tank and providing cooling air circulation gaps. This adds a thermal control function to the storage system without significantly increasing complexity, as the cooling structure integrates with the existing tank configuration rather than adding separate complex cooling systems.
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 design enhances the storage and distribution of electrolytes, reduces the risk of contamination, and maintains optimal operating temperatures, thereby improving the performance and reliability of the battery.
Implementation Method 1
a means for passing cooling air to the air circulation gaps or passages for cooling the electrolyte in or each inner tank
Data Source
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AI summary
A reservoir for a redox flow battery comprising: • at least one inner tank for electrolyte, the or each inner tank having at least one inner tank wall, • an outer, bund tank around the or each inner tank, • air circulation gaps or passages between the inner and outer walls or the inner and outer tanks and • means for passing cooling air to the air circulation gaps or passages for cooling the electrolyte in or each inner tank.