Slurry Electrode Flow Battery for Stable Power Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow batteries face challenges with high costs, low cell capacity, and difficulty in large-scale application due to limitations in power output and material costs, particularly with the use of expensive carbon fibers and stationary porous electrodes.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electrode slurry containing metal halides as active substances, which are widely available and low in price, along with a slurry electrode design that includes a bipolar plate, current collector, and reservoir system for circulating the electrode slurry, allowing for intercalation and de-intercalation reactions within electrode particles, thereby increasing power output and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the surface area of electrodes is increased to improve current generation ability, then the pore diameter of electrodes becomes smaller, which limits the transfer of active substance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the stationary porous electrode into a dynamic slurry electrode system. The electrode material is suspended in electrolyte to form a flowing slurry that continuously circulates through the cell, replacing the static porous structure. This dynamic approach allows the system to achieve high surface area for current generation while maintaining adequate pore diameter for active substance transfer through the continuous motion and renewal of the slurry phase.
2Reliability
If expensive carbon fiber materials are used in flow batteries, then electrode performance is improved, but production cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the cheap short-living objects principle by replacing expensive carbon fiber electrodes with a cost-effective slurry electrode system. The slurry electrode uses readily available electrode materials (such as metal oxides, hydroxides, or other active substances) suspended in electrolyte, eliminating the need for costly carbon fiber substrates. While individual slurry electrodes have limited lifetime compared to solid electrodes, the system achieves economic viability through lower material costs and the ability to replenish the slurry composition over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by fundamentally altering the physical state and composition parameters of the electrode. Instead of using solid carbon fiber with fixed structural parameters, the system uses a slurry with adjustable parameters including particle size distribution, concentration, viscosity, and flow rate. These parameter changes enable optimization of both performance and cost by selecting appropriate slurry composition and operating conditions.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If all-vanadium redox flow battery is used for energy storage, then long life time and recyclable materials are achieved, but open circuit voltage and output power are relatively low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials principle by creating a hybrid electrode system that combines the advantages of different material types. The slurry electrode can incorporate multiple active substances with different electrochemical properties, allowing the system to achieve both long cycle life (inherited from flow battery architecture) and higher output power (through selection of high-capacity materials like iron-based or zinc-based compounds). The composite nature of the slurry, containing various particle sizes and compositions, enables simultaneous optimization of stability and power output.
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 enables higher and more stable power output under the same current conditions, reduces material costs, and improves the specific discharge capacity of flow batteries, making them more suitable for large-scale energy storage applications.
Implementation Method 1
allowing for intercalation and de-intercalation reactions within electrode particles, thereby increasing power output
Implementation Method 2
utilize the valence change of active substances in the liquid phase at the positive electrode and the negative electrodes in a charge-discharge process to store/release energy
Implementation Method 3
the electrolyte that contains active substance is transported through a pipeline to the inlet of the electrode and flows to the internal surface of the electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A flow battery field, an electrode slurry, a slurry electrode, a flow battery, and a stack are disclosed. The electrode slurry comprising electrode particles and electrolyte that contains active substance. Based on 100 pbw active substance, the electrode particles are 10-1,000 pbw. The slurry electrode comprises: a bipolar plate, a current collector, and a slurry electrode reservoir configured to store electrode slurry. In the two opposite sides of the bipolar plate, one side is adjacent to the current collector, and the other side is arranged with a slurry electrode cavity, and flow channels are arranged and extended between the bipolar plate and the slurry electrode cavity, so that the electrode slurry is circulated between the slurry electrode cavity and the slurry electrode reservoir. A flow battery that employs the electrode slurry can provide higher and more stable power output under the same current condition and is lower in cost.