Subsea uninterruptible power supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020328446-A1
Application number	US-201716303168-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 21, 2017
Priority date	May 24, 2016
Publication date	Oct 15, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An uninterruptible power supply unit for subsea applications includes a flow battery including: at least one flow battery module including at least a negative electrode cell and a positive electrode cell, a first electrolyte storage tank connected to the negative electrode cell to provide the negative electrode cell with a first electrolyte, and a second electrolyte storage tank connected to the positive electrode cell to provide the positive electrode cell with a second electrolyte. The unit further includes at least one electrolyte pressure compensator, connected to the first electrolyte storage tank and connected to the second electrolyte storage tank, respectively, to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the at least one electrolyte pressure compensator and first electrolytes and second electrolytes inside the first electrolyte storage tank and inside the second electrolyte storage tank, respectively.

First claim

1 . An uninterruptible power supply unit for subsea applications comprising:
a flow battery including: at least one flow battery module including at least a negative electrode cell and a positive electrode cell, a first electrolyte storage tank connected to the negative electrode cell to provide the negative electrode cell with a first electrolyte, and a second electrolyte storage tank connected to the positive electrode cell to provide the positive electrode cell with a second electrolyte; and at least one electrolyte pressure compensator, connected to the first electrolyte storage tank and connected to the second electrolyte storage tank, respectively, to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the at least one electrolyte pressure compensator and first electrolytes and second electrolytes inside the first electrolyte storage tank and inside the second electrolyte storage tank, respectively.

2 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrolyte pressure compensator further includes:
a first electrolyte pressure compensator, connected to the first electrolyte storage tank, to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the first electrolyte pressure compensator and the first electrolyte inside the first electrolyte storage tank, and a second electrolyte pressure compensator, connected to the second electrolyte storage tank, to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the second electrolyte pressure compensator and the second electrolyte inside the second electrolyte storage tank.

3 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a main enclosure, filled with a dielectric fluid, the flow battery being housed in the main enclosure, immersed in the dielectric fluid, and a dielectric fluid pressure compensator to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the main enclosure and the dielectric fluid inside the main enclosure.

4 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 3 , wherein the main enclosure further houses:
at least one of the first electrolyte storage tank and the second electrolyte storage tank, and at least one electrolyte storage tank to provide pressure balancing between the dielectric fluid inside the main enclosure and electrolytes inside the electrolyte storage tank, housed in the main enclosure.

5 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 3 , further comprising:
at least one electrolyte pump to pump one of the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte, from a respective one of the first electrolyte storage tank and the second electrolyte storage tank, to a respective negative electrode cell or positive electrode cell.

6 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one electrolyte pump further includes:
a first electrolyte pump to pump the first electrolyte from the first electrolyte storage tank to the negative electrode cell, and a second electrolyte pump to pump the second electrolyte from the second electrolyte storage tank to the positive electrode cell.

7 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 5 , further comprising:
at least one electrolyte valve, interposed between one of the first electrolyte storage tank and second electrolyte storage tank and a respective one of the negative electrode cell and the positive electrode cell.

8 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 7 , further comprising:
an electrical power converter, electrically connected to the at least one flow battery modules and electrically connectable to an external load to be powered by the uninterruptible power supply unit.

9 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 8 , wherein the at least one flow battery module includes a plurality of flow battery modules and wherein one or more electrical switches are provided between the plurality of flow battery modules and the electrical power converter.

10 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 8 , further comprising:
a control system module to control the at least one electrolyte pump and the electrical power converter.

11 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 10 , wherein the main enclosure further houses at least one of:
the at least one electrolyte pump, the at least one electrolyte valve, the electrical power converter, and the control system module.

12 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow battery module includes a plurality of negative electrode cells and a plurality of positive electrode cells, arranged in series.

13 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow battery module includes a plurality of flow battery modules, each of the plurality of flow battery modules being connected to the first electrolyte storage tank and being connected to the second electrolyte storage tank.

14 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte is Vanadium-based.

15 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 2 , further comprising:
a main enclosure, filled with a dielectric fluid, the flow battery being housed in the main enclosure, immersed in the dielectric fluid, and a dielectric fluid pressure compensator to provide pressure balancing between an ambient medium surrounding the main enclosure and the dielectric fluid inside the main enclosure.

16 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 15 , wherein the main enclosure further houses:
at least one of the first electrolyte storage tank and the second electrolyte storage tank, and
at least one electrolyte storage tank to provide pressure balancing between the dielectric fluid inside the main enclosure and electrolytes inside the electrolyte storage tank, housed in the main enclosure.

17 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 4 , further comprising:
at least an electrolyte pump to pump one of the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte, from a respective one of the first electrolyte storage tank and the second electrolyte storage tank, to a respective negative electrode cell or positive electrode cell.

18 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 17 , wherein the at least an electrolyte pump further includes:
a first electrolyte pump to pump the first electrolyte from the first electrolyte storage tank to the negative electrode cell, and a second electrolyte pump to pump the second electrolyte from the second electrolyte storage tank to the positive electrode cell.

19 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 17 , further comprising:
at least an electrolyte valve, interposed between one of the first electrolyte storage tank and second electrolyte storage tank and a respective one of the negative electrode cell and the positive electrode cell.

20 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 3 , further comprising:
an electrical power converter, electrically connected to the at least one flow battery module and electrically connectable to an external load to be powered by the uninterruptible power supply unit.

21 . The uninterruptible power supply unit of claim 5 , further comprising:
an electrical power converter, electrically connected to the at least one flow battery module and electrically connectable to an external load to be powered by the uninterruptible power supply unit.

22 .

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Aarskog Fredrik Gundersen

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02B90/10

  Applications of fuel cells in buildings · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

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