Method and system for rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018309149-A1
Application number	US-201816000724-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system comprises directing hydrogen gas generated on the negative side of the redox flow battery system to a catalyst surface, and fluidly contacting the hydrogen gas with an electrolyte comprising a metal ion at the catalyst surface, wherein the metal ion is chemically reduced by the hydrogen gas at the catalyst surface, and a state of charge of the electrolyte and pH of the electrolyte remain substantially balanced.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A method of rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system, comprising:
directing hydrogen gas from a redox flow battery cell to a catalyst bed, oxidizing the hydrogen gas at the catalyst bed to form hydrogen ions, and recirculating the hydrogen ions from the catalyst bed to the redox flow battery cell.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising coating a substrate layer with a catalyst layer, and spiral winding the substrate layer and the catalyst layer into a jellyroll structure to form the catalyst bed.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning a spacing layer on the catalyst layer and spiral winding the spacing layer with the substrate layer and the catalyst layer into the jellyroll structure to form the catalyst bed.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein directing hydrogen gas from the redox flow battery cell to the catalyst bed comprises directing hydrogen gas axially into the jellyroll structure of the catalyst bed.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein directing hydrogen gas from the redox flow battery cell to the catalyst bed comprises directing hydrogen gas radially through the spiral wound substrate and catalyst layers of the jellyroll structure.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising directing electrolyte comprising metal ions from the redox flow battery to the catalyst bed, oxidizing the hydrogen gas to form hydrogen ions and reducing the metal ions at the catalyst bed.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising recirculating the hydrogen ions and the reduced metal ions from the catalyst bed to the redox flow battery cell.

18 - 20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Song Yang
• Evans Craig E

Classifications

• H01M8/20

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

• H01M8/004

  Cylindrical, tubular or wound · CPC title

• H01M8/0693

  Treatment of the electrolyte residue, e.g. reconcentrating · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title