Methods and systems for redox flow battery electrolyte hydration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018316036-A1
Application number	US-201815965671-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for transporting and hydrating a redox flow battery system with a portable field hydration system. In one example, the redox flow battery system may be hydrated with the portable field hydration system in a dry state, in the absence of liquids. In this way, a redox flow battery system may be assembled and transported from a battery manufacturing facility to an end-use location off-site while the redox flow battery system is in the dry state, thereby reducing shipping costs, design complexities, as well as logistical and environmental concerns.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a redox flow battery system, the redox flow battery system including first and second electrolyte chambers fluidly coupled to a redox flow battery cell, the method comprising:
during a first condition, including when the redox flow battery system is in a dry state without water and liquid solvents, adding first and second amounts of dry electrolyte precursor to the first and second electrolyte chambers, respectively, the first and second amounts corresponding to a desired concentration of first and second electrolytes in the first and second electrolyte chambers during an operating mode, including when the redox flow battery system is being charged or discharged, fluidly coupling the redox flow battery system to a field hydration system, the field hydration system including a water supply pump fluidly coupled to a water source, and supplying water from the field hydration system to the redox flow battery system, wherein the redox flow battery system would remain in the dry state without the water from the field hydration system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during a second condition, including when the redox flow battery system is in a wet state with greater than a threshold amount of water therein, directing the water to the first electrolyte chamber, and in response to a first electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching a first threshold level, raising a temperature of the first electrolyte chamber to a first threshold temperature, the first threshold temperature being greater than an ambient temperature.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, stopping the supply of water from the field hydration system to the redox flow battery system in response to a conductivity of the supplied water increasing above a threshold conductivity.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to the first electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching the first threshold level, recirculating the first electrolyte chamber liquid level with a circulation pump fluidly coupled to the first electrolyte chamber.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to the first electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching a second threshold level, stopping the supply of water to the first electrolyte chamber and deactivating the circulation pump, wherein the second threshold level is higher than the first threshold level.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to the first electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching the second threshold level, directing water to the second electrolyte chamber, the second electrolyte chamber being in the dry state prior to the first electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching the second threshold level.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein;
the redox flow battery system comprises a multi-chamber storage tank, the multi-chamber storage tank including the first and second electrolyte chambers, and the supply of water to the first electrolyte chamber is stopped until a second electrolyte chamber liquid level reaches the second threshold level.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising, maintaining a pressure difference between the first and second electrolyte chambers less than a threshold pressure difference.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to a second electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching a third threshold level, raising a temperature of the second electrolyte chamber to a second threshold temperature the second threshold temperature being greater than the ambient temperature.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to the second electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching a fourth threshold level, stopping the supply of water to the second electrolyte chamber, wherein the fourth threshold level is greater than the third threshold level.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising, during the second condition, in response to the second electrolyte chamber liquid level reaching the fourth threshold level, maintaining the first and second electrolyte chambers at the first and second threshold temperatures for a threshold duration.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, in response to the threshold duration expiring, filling the first and second electrolyte chambers with the water.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the first condition, prior to coupling the redox flow battery system to the field hydration system, assembling the redox flow battery system and transporting the assembled redox flow battery system from a battery manufacturing facility to an end-use location different from the battery manufacturing facility.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second condition further comprises fluidly coupling the redox flow battery system to a field hydration system at the end-use location.

15 . A redox flow battery system comprising:
a redox flow battery cell fluidly coupled to positive and negative electrolyte chambers; dry electrolytes located in the positive and negative electrolyte chambers with less than a threshold amount of solvents; a field hydration system detachably coupled to a water source arranged externally to the redox flow battery; and a controller, including executable instructions stored thereon to,
activate a water supply pump of the field hydration system configured to flow water from the water source to the positive and negative electrolyte chambers.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the field hydration system comprises a diverter valve and a bypass valve, wherein the executable instructions further comprise opening the bypass valve and closing the diverter valve in response to a water conductivity being greater than a threshold conductivity, where flowing water through the open bypass valve includes flowing water out of the field hydration system and away from the positive and negative electrolyte chambers.

17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a conductivity sensor positioned downstream of a filtration system, the conductivity sensor and the filtration system fluidly interposed between the water supply pump and the diverter valve, wherein the filtration system comprises two or more filters divided into two or more filter banks.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions opening the diverter valve and closing the bypass valve in response to a water conductivity measured by the conductivity sensor being less than the threshold conductivity, and wherein flowing water through the open diverter valve includes flowing water to one or more of the positive and negative electrolyte chambers.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise charging the redox flow battery system in response to decoupling the field hydration system from the redox flow battery.

20 . A redox flow battery system, including first and second electrolyte chambers fluidly coupled to a redox flow battery cell, and a controller with executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory thereon to:
during a first condition, including when the redox flow battery system is in a dry state without water and liquid solvents, add first and second amounts of dry electrolyte precursor to the first and second electrolyte chambers, respectively, the first and second amounts corresponding to a

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Song Yang
• Fisher Kenneth Kiyoshi
• Mcdonald Timothy

Classifications

• H01M8/188 Primary

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

• H01M8/04283

  Supply means of electrolyte to or in matrix-fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2004/8684

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M8/04225

  during start-up · CPC title