Refuelable battery for the electric grid and method of using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020136153-A1
Application number	US-201816500906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 6, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2020
Grant date	—

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 the electrode material within the battery chamber and on the electrode support; and
a second access port,
wherein the battery chamber 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.

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 battery chamber further comprises:
a filter area configured to trap the oxidized anode material and accessible by the second access port; and a circulation pump configured to circulate the electrolyte through the filter area.

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

10 . The refuelable battery of claim 8 , wherein the filter area is configured to be 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 of the battery chamber during removal of the oxidized anode material from the battery chamber via the second access port.

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

12 . 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.

13 . A method of operating a refuelable battery, comprising:
discharging the battery to generate expended electrode material from an electrode; removing the expended electrode material from the battery; and inserting another electrode into the battery.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
discharging the battery to generate the expended electrode material from the electrode comprises discharging the battery to generate iron oxide or iron hydroxide oxidized anode material from an iron or iron alloy anode; removing the expended electrode material from the battery comprises removing the oxidized anode material from the battery; and inserting another electrode into the battery comprises inserting another iron or iron alloy anode into the battery.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
circulating an electrolyte between a seeded trap area and the anode and cathode electrode area of the battery during operation; providing air into the battery during the operation; draining the electrolyte from the seeded trap area before the step of removing; and removing the oxidized anode material from the seeded trap area after the step of draining.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
discharging the battery to generate the expended electrode material from the electrode comprises discharging the battery to generate an oxidized anode material; removing the expended electrode material from the battery comprises removing the oxidized anode material from the battery; and inserting another electrode into the battery comprises inserting another anode into the battery.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
removing a reduced cathode material from the battery; and inserting another cathode into the battery, wherein the another anode is formed from at least a portion of the removed oxidized anode material.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
discharging the battery to generate the expended electrode material from the electrode comprises discharging the battery to generate a reduced cathode material; removing the expended electrode material from the battery comprises removing the reduced cathode material from the battery; and inserting another electrode into the battery comprises inserting another cathode into the battery.

19 . A method for operating a refuelable battery system, comprising:
providing a battery power plant comprising a set of refuelable batteries; operating the battery power plant for a time frame to supplement power from a power source; and refueling the set of refuelable batteries.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the refuelable batteries comprises an anode comprising iron.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the power source is a renewable power source; and the time frame is a week or greater.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein refueling the set of refuelable batteries comprises:
removing one of more of the set of refuelable batteries from the battery power plant; transporting the removed refuelable batteries to a reprocessing site; reprocessing materials within the removed refuelable batteries to refuel the removed refuelable batteries; and transporting the refueled refuelable batteries to the battery power plant and reinserting the refueled refuelable batteries into the battery power plant.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein power for the reprocessing is provided by the renewable power source.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein refueling the set of refuelable batteries comprises:
removing materials from one or more of the set of refuelable batteries; reprocessing the removed materials at a reprocessing site to generate charged fuel; and inserting the charged fuel into one or more of the set of refuelable batteries from which the removed materials were removed.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the removed materials are oxidized anode materials and charged fuel comprises a reduced anode.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the reprocessing comprises reduction, smelting, or electrolysis.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the reprocessing comprises reduction of the oxidized anode materials using a natural gas or coal burning furnace.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the reprocessing comprises using carbon included in the oxidized anode materials to enhance the reduction of the oxidized anode materials.

29 . The method of claim 25 , wherein power for the repro

Assignees

• Form Energy Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01M2300/0014

  Alkaline electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/48

  of inorganic oxides or hydroxides · CPC title

• H01M6/5077 Primary

  Regeneration of reactants or electrolyte · CPC title

• H01M6/52 Primary

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

• H01M6/04

  Cells with aqueous electrolyte · CPC title