Apparatus of Multifunctional Integrating Flow Battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372763-A1
Application number	US-201514741587-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device of flow battery is provided. The device comprises a cell stack, a heat exchanger, an anode electrolyte tank, a cathode electrolyte tank, a circulating pump, a temperature-retaining tank, a charging/discharging unit, a DC/AC converter and a monitoring unit. The device can be assembled in a container to form a portable flow battery to be integrated into a mobile power pack or a stationary power supply. Thus, the present invention is portable and swappable. The device can adjust power output according to flows and energy-storing statuses for saving cost and maximizing benefit. Household electricity is provided through the DC/AC converter. AC of a mains supply is converted into DC to charge power to an electric vehicle through the charging/discharging unit. Electrolytes in the anode and cathode electrolyte tanks can be directly replaced for finishing charging power in a short time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus of multifunctional integrating flow battery, comprising
at least one cell stack,
wherein said at least one cell stack receives an anode electrolyte and a cathode electrolyte to generate and/or release direct-current (DC) power by processing electrochemical reactions according to said anode electrolyte and said cathode electrolyte; and outputs said anode electrolyte and said cathode electrolyte after said electrochemical reactions;
an anode heat exchanger,
wherein said anode heat exchanger is connected to said at least one cell stack to process heat exchange of said anode electrolyte;
a cathode heat exchanger,
wherein said cathode heat exchanger is connected to said at least one cell stack to process heat exchange of said cathode electrolyte;
an anode electrolyte tank,
wherein said anode electrolyte tank holds said anode electrolyte; said anode electrolyte is delivered from said anode electrolyte tank by a first circulating pump unit; said anode electrolyte passes through a flow control unit to control flow rate; after said anode electrolyte enters into said at least one cell stack to process said electrochemical reactions to generate and/or release DC power, said anode electrolyte enters into said anode heat exchanger to keep said anode electrolyte in an optimum operating temperature range; and, after passing through said anode heat exchanger, said anode electrolyte returns back to said anode electrolyte tank to form a cycling of said anode electrolyte with coordination of said anode electrolyte tank, said anode heat exchanger and said at least one cell stack to finish charging/discharging power;
a cathode electrolyte tank,
wherein said cathode electrolyte holds said cathode electrolyte; said cathode electrolyte is delivered from said cathode electrolyte tank by a second circulating pump unit; said cathode electrolyte passes through a flow control unit to control flow rate; after said cathode electrolyte enters into said at least one cell stack to process said electrochemical reactions to generate and/or release DC power, said cathode electrolyte enters into said cathode heat exchanger to keep said cathode electrolyte in an optimum operating temperature range; and, after passing through said cathode heat exchanger, said cathode electrolyte returns back to said cathode electrolyte tank to form a cycling of said cathode electrolyte with coordination of said cathode electrolyte tank, said cathode heat exchanger and said at least one cell stack to finish charging/discharging power;
a temperature-retaining tank,
wherein said temperature-retaining tank is separately connected to said anode and cathode heat exchangers and said anode and cathode electrolyte tanks to control said anode and cathode heat exchangers and said anode and cathode electrolyte tanks to be kept at a constant temperature by adjusting temperature according to an external environmental temperature;
a charging/discharging unit,
wherein said charging/discharging unit is connected to said at least one cell stack to charge/discharge power to/from said at least one cell stack; said charging/discharging unit charges power through a conversion between DC and alternating current (AC) with a connection to a resource selected from a group consisting of a mains supply and a renewable energy; and said charging/discharging unit discharges power through said DC/AC conversion with a connection to a load; and
a monitoring unit,
wherein said monitoring unit automatically monitors said flow control units to control flow rates, valves switch-ons/offs, pressures and flow-cycling frequencies through instructions; processes multifunctional controls through said pressures and said flow-cycling frequencies; and adjusts said flow rates, said pressures and said flow-cycling frequencies under different states of charge/discharge (SOC/SOD).

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus further comprises a DC/AC converter to convert DC outputted from said at least one cell stack into AC to be provided to said monitoring unit, said first circulating pump unit, said second circulating pump unit, said flow control unit and said temperature-retaining tank.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus further comprises an external power supply to be a power supply source at a time of initial operation to provide AC to said monitoring unit, said first circulating pump unit, said second circulating pump unit, said flow control unit and said temperature-retaining tank.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said flow control unit comprises a meter unit, a proportional control valve, a pressure sensor and a frequency-varying device.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a valve is obtained in a pipeline connecting said anode and cathode electrolyte tanks and is set to on/off according to components and liquid levels of said anode and cathode electrolytes.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein, while said anode and cathode electrolytes have the same components, said valve controls opening schedules by setting opening periods; and wherein, while said components of said anode and cathode electrolytes change and said liquid levels are not the same, said valve is opened to make said liquid levels become the same.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein, while said components of said anode and cathode electrolytes are not the same, said valve is set to be always off.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein said valve is connected with a pressurizing device.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said anode electrolyte tank has an anode mixing tube contained within to receive backflow of said anode electrolyte to be mixed with source of said anode electrolyte in said anode electrolyte tank.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said cathode electrolyte tank has a cathode mixing tube contained within to receive backflow of said cathode electrolyte to be mixed with source of said cathode electrolyte in said anode electrolyte tank.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of said first and said second circulating pump unit comprises at least one circulating pump and at least one circulating pipeline.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said anode electrolyte and said cathode electrolyte pass through circulating pipelines to form circulation by using said first circulating pump unit and said second circulating pump unit, respectively.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said anode electrolyte and said cathode electrolyte pass through circulating pipelines to form circulation by simultaneously using said first and said second circulating pump units.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, while a cell stack generates DC power and another cell stack releases DC power in said at least one cell stack, said anode electrolyte and said cathode electrolyte use two circulating pumps and two circulating pipelines in said first circulating pump unit and said second circulating pump unit, respectively.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a leaked-fluid slot is located at every one of said positive and said cathode electrolyte tanks, circulating pipelines and said at least one cell stack to collect leaked fluid of said positive and said cathode electrolytes.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus further comprises an emergency stop device to immediately stop operations while an

Assignees

• Inst Nuclear Energy Res Atomic Energy Council Executive Yuan Roc

Inventors

• Lu Yung-Fang
• Hsieh Chin-Lung
• Hsu Chung-Yao

Classifications

• H01M8/188

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H01M8/04007 Primary

  related to heat exchange · CPC title

• H01M8/20

  Indirect fuel cells, e.g. fuel cells with redox couple being irreversible (H01M8/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/0045

  Electricity · mapped topic