Refuelable battery for the electric grid and method of using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11394035-B2
Application number	US-201816500906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 19, 2022
Grant date	Jul 19, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide a refuelable battery for the power grid to provide a sustainable, cost-effective, and/or operationally efficient solution to energy source variability and/or energy demand variability. In particular, the systems and methods of the various embodiments may provide a refuelable primary battery solution that addresses bulk seasonal energy storage needs, variable demand needs, and other challenges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refuelable battery, comprising:
a battery chamber comprising:
an electrode support configured to support an electrode material within the battery chamber;
a first access port configured to allow placement of reprocessed electrode material within the battery chamber and on the electrode support;
a second access port;
a filter area accessible by the second access port; and
a circulation pump configured to circulate the electrolyte through the filter area,

wherein the filter area is configured to trap expended electrode material generated from the electrode material while the refuelable battery is operating in a discharge mode for removal of the expended electrode material from the battery chamber via the second access port,
wherein the filter area is fluidically isolated from a portion of the battery chamber such that the electrolyte does not circulate into or out of the filter area from the portion during the removal of the expended electrode material, and
wherein the reprocessed electrode material is generated from the expended electrode material.

2. The refuelable battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrode support is an anode support;
the electrode material is an anode material; and
the expended electrode material is oxidized anode material generated from the anode material while the refuelable battery is operating in the discharge mode.

3. The refuelable battery of claim 2 , further comprising:
an anode supported on the anode support;
an air inlet in the battery chamber configured to provide air into the battery chamber; and
an electrolyte within the battery chamber in contact with the anode.

4. The refuelable battery of claim 3 , wherein the anode material comprises at least one of iron, zinc, aluminum, or magnesium.

5. The refuelable battery of claim 3 , wherein the anode material comprises an iron alloy.

6. The refuelable battery of claim 5 , wherein the iron alloy comprises iron and one or more of zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and carbon.

7. The refuelable battery of claim 3 , wherein the anode material comprises a zinc alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a magnesium alloy.

8. The refuelable battery of claim 3 , wherein the filter area is configured to trap the oxidized anode material.

9. The refuelable battery of claim 8 , wherein the filter area comprises a foam seeded with calcium hydroxide.

10. The refuelable battery of claim 3 , further comprising a carbon dioxide scrubber coupled to the air inlet.

11. The refuelable battery of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrode support is a cathode support;
the electrode material is a cathode material; and
the expended electrode material is reduced cathode material generated from the cathode material while the refuelable battery is operating in the discharge mode.

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

• Jaramillo Mateo Cristian
• Mckay Ian Salmon
• Woodford William Henry

Classifications

• H01M50/70

  Arrangements for stirring or circulating the electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M6/04

  Cells with aqueous electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M6/52 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste cells or batteries {, e.g. recycling} · CPC title

• H01M4/48

  of inorganic oxides or hydroxides · CPC title

• H01M6/5077 Primary

  Regeneration of reactants or electrolyte · CPC title