Battery body unit for redox flow battery, redox flow battery using same, and method for operating redox flow battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021083305-A1
Application number	US-201816772629-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

This battery body unit 10 for a redox flow battery performs charging and discharging by circulating an electrolyte in which active materials are dissolved to a battery cell 3 comprising electrodes 1 containing nanomaterials, an ion exchange membrane 2, and bipolar plates. The battery body unit 10 for the redox flow battery comprises an outer frame body 4, and the following which are installed inside the outer frame body 4: the battery cell 3; inner pipes (internal electrolyte going-way pipe 5, internal electrolyte returning-way pipe 6) that circulate the electrolyte to the battery cell 4; and electrolyte exchange members 7 forming a portion of the path of the inner pipes. The electrolyte exchange member 7 has a connection part 7a that connects to an external electrolyte going-way pipe 12 and a connection part 7b that connects to an external electrolyte returning-way pipe 13. The connection part 7b that connects to the external electrolyte returning-way pipe 13 is provided with a filter member 8 that does not allow nanomaterials to pass through, thus establishing a sealed system for the nanomaterials that prevents the nanomaterials from flowing out of the battery body unit 10.

First claim

1 . A battery body unit of a redox flow battery that performs charge and discharge by circulating an electrolyte containing active materials to a battery cell comprising electrodes containing nanomaterials, an ion-exchange membrane and bipolar plates, with the battery body unit comprising an outer frame body, the battery cell installed inside the outer frame body, an inner pipe for circulating the electrolyte to the battery cell and an electrolyte exchange member that forms a part of a path in the inner pipe,
wherein the electrolyte exchange member comprises a connecting portion to an external electrolyte going-way pipe and a connecting portion to an external electrolyte returning-way pipe, wherein the connecting portion to the external electrolyte returning-way pipe comprises a filter member that does not allow the nanomaterial to pass through, wherein the connecting portion to the external electrolyte going-way pipe comprises a filter member that does not allow the nanomaterial to pass through or a check valve, and wherein the electrolyte exchange member forms a closed system so that the nanomaterials do not leak outside.

2 . A battery body unit of a redox flow battery that performs charge and discharge by circulating an electrolyte containing active materials to a battery cell comprising electrodes containing nanomaterials, an ion-exchange membrane and bipolar plates, with the battery body unit comprising an outer frame body, the battery cell installed inside the outer frame body, an inner pipe for circulating the electrolyte to the battery cell and an electrolyte exchange member that forms a part of a path in the inner pipe,
wherein the electrolyte exchange member is separated into a hollow space and an outer space by a filter member having a hollow fiber structure that does not allow the nanomaterials to pass through, and the electrolyte exchange member has a connecting portion to an external electrolyte going-way pipe and a connecting portion to an external electrolyte returning-way pipe, in the outer space, and wherein the hollow space is connected to the inner pipe.

3 . A battery body unit of a redox flow battery that performs charge and discharge by circulating an electrolyte containing active materials to a battery cell comprising electrodes containing a nanomaterial, an ion-exchange membrane and bipolar plates, with the battery body unit comprising an outer frame body, the battery cell installed inside the outer frame body, an inner pipe for circulating the electrolyte to the battery cell and an electrolyte exchange member that forms a part of a path in the inner pipe,
wherein the electrolyte exchange member is separated into a hollow space and an outer space by a filter member having a hollow fiber structure that does not allow the nanomaterials to pass through, and the electrolyte exchange member has a connecting portion to an external electrolyte going-way pipe and a connecting portion to an external electrolyte returning-way pipe, in the outer space, wherein the hollow space is connected to the inner pipe, and wherein the outer space is partitioned into two space portions: an outer space portion closer to an inlet for the electrolyte and an outer space portion closer to an outlet for the electrolyte, and the outer space has a connecting portion to the external electrolyte going-way pipe in the outer space portion closer to the inlet and a connecting portion to the external electrolyte returning-way pipe in the outer space portion closer to the outlet.

4 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 3 , wherein the outer space portion closer to the inlet is not separated by the filter member, and comprises a check valve in the connecting portion to the external electrolyte going-way pipe.

5 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte exchange member comprises the connecting portion to the external electrolyte going-way pipe and the connecting portion to the external electrolyte returning-way pipe on a side surface of the electrolyte exchange member.

6 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 1 , wherein the battery body unit is configured to be detachable from the redox flow battery and replaceable.

7 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame body, the battery cell, the inner pipe and the electrolyte exchange member are formed as an integral structure.

8 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 1 , wherein the inner pipe is formed in the outer frame body.

9 . The battery body unit of a redox flow battery according to claim 1 , wherein the nanomaterials are carbon nanomaterials.

10 . A redox flow battery, configured by comprising the battery body unit according to claim 1 , an electrolyte tank, the external electrolyte going-way pipe and the external electrolyte returning-way pipe.

11 . A method of operation of a redox flow battery having electrodes each containing nanomaterials in a battery cell,
the method includes a step of monitoring a content of the nanomaterials detached from the electrodes in an electrolyte under circulation.

12 . The method of operation of a redox flow battery according to claim 11 , wherein the method further includes a step of stopping operation of the redox flow battery, when nanomaterials in a content greater than or equal to a preset content are detected in the electrolyte.

13 . The method of operation of a redox flow battery according to claim 12 , wherein the method further includes a step of replacing the battery cell with a new battery cell, when the operation is stopped.

14 . The method of operation of a redox flow battery according to claim 13 , wherein the method further includes a step of filtering the electrolyte in which nanomaterials in a content greater than or equal to the preset content are detected.

15 . The method of operation of a redox flow battery according to claim 13 , wherein the method further includes a step of exchanging the electrolyte in which the nanomaterials in a content greater than or equal to the preset content are detected.

16 . The method of operation of a redox flow battery according to claim 11 , wherein the method is applied to the battery body unit of a redox flow battery that performs charge and discharge by circulating an electrolyte containing active materials to a battery cell comprising electrodes containing nanomaterials, an ion-exchange membrane and bipolar plates, with the battery body unit comprising an outer frame body, the battery cell installed inside the outer frame body, an inner pipe for circulating the electrolyte to the battery cell and an electrolyte exchange member that forms a part of a path in the inner pipe,
wherein the electrolyte exchange member comprises a connecting portion to an external electrolyte going-way pipe and a connecting portion to an external electrolyte returning-way pipe, wherein the connecting portion to the external electrolyte returning-way pipe comprises a filter member that does not allow the nanomaterial to pass through, wherein the connecting portion to the external electrolyte going-way pipe comprises a filter member that does not allow the nanomaterial to pass through or a check valve, and wherein the electrolyte exchange member forms a closed system so that the nanomaterials do not leak outside.

Assignees

• Showa Denko Kk

Inventors

• Koyama Tamami
• Suzuki Masahiro
• Zhou Tingting
• Tomita Miyuki

Classifications

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

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

• H01M4/9083

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M4/94

  Non-porous diffusion electrodes, e.g. palladium membranes, ion exchange membranes · CPC title