Redox Flow Battery Cell Frame with Finger Channels for Uniform Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochemical cells, particularly redox flow batteries, face challenges in achieving high power density due to non-uniform electrolyte flow, leading to increased pressure losses and inefficient utilization of electrode surface area.
Innovation Solution
The integration of finger elements with feed and discharge channels within the cell frame allows for precise control and uniform distribution of electrolyte flow, reducing pressure loss and enhancing power density by dividing the cell interior into chambers and accommodating electrolyte flow pathways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If electrolyte is fed into the cell interior through conventional channels, then the cell can operate, but the electrolyte flow is non-uniform leading to increased pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The cell frame is segmented into multiple finger elements that project into the cell interior. These finger elements divide the cell interior into multiple chambers and provide multiple distributed feed and discharge channels, transforming a single-channel flow system into a multi-channel distributed flow system, thereby achieving uniform electrolyte distribution and reducing pressure losses
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cell interior are provided with different local flow characteristics through the finger elements. The feed channels and discharge channels are locally positioned at specific regions of the finger elements to create optimized flow patterns in different areas, ensuring uniform electrolyte distribution across the entire cell interior
2Power
If electrode surface area is increased to improve power density, then more reaction sites are available, but non-uniform flow prevents efficient utilization of the additional surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The cell interior is divided into multiple chambers by finger elements, with each chamber containing portions of the electrode. This segmentation ensures that electrolyte flows uniformly through all regions of the electrode, maximizing the utilization of the entire electrode surface area for electrochemical reactions and thereby improving power density
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed feed and discharge channels in the finger elements ensure continuous and uniform electrolyte flow across all electrode regions. This continuous uniform flow maintains consistent reaction conditions throughout the electrode surface area, enabling efficient utilization of the entire electrode for power generation
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
This design ensures a more predictable and uniform electrolyte flow, reducing pressure loss and increasing power density by allowing electrolyte to enter and exit the cell interior through controlled pathways, thereby optimizing the electrode's surface area for reactions.
Implementation Method 1
The semipermeable membrane has the task of spatially and electrically separating the cathode and the anode of an electrochemical cell. The semipermeable membrane must therefore be permeable to ions
Implementation Method 2
Redox reactions take place at both electrodes of the electrochemical cell, with electrons being released by the electrolytes at a electrode and electrons being absorbed at the other electrode. The metallic and/or non-metallic ions of the electrolytes form redox pairs and consequently generate a redox potential
Implementation Method 3
The at least one feed channel and/or the at least one discharge channel is provided at least in sections in the finger element, and in that the at least one finger element has at least one outlet opening into the cell interior for the electrolyte to be fed and/or at least one inlet opening from the cell interior for the electrolyte to be discharged
Data Source
AI summary
Described and illustrated is an electrochemical cell, in particular a redox flow battery, with at least one cell frame and at least one electrode. The cell frame circumferentially encloses a cell interior. The cell frame has at least one feed channel for feeding electrolyte into the cell interior and at least one discharge channel for discharging electrolyte from the cell interior. The at least one cell frame has at least one finger element projecting into the cell interior and wherein the electrode is arranged at least in regions in the cell interior and on opposite sides of the at least one finger element. In order to achieve a more appropriate flow through, which reliably allows for a lower pressure loss and a higher power density, it is provided that the at least one feed channel and/or the at least one discharge channel is provided at least in sections in the finger element and that the at least one finger element has at least one outlet opening into the cell interior for the electrolyte to be fed and/or at least one inlet opening from the cell interior for the electrolyte to be discharged.