Redox flow cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022173422-A1
Application number	US-202017434608-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 27, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2019
Publication date	Jun 2, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating a flow cell. The method comprises providing a flow cell suitable for generating electrical power from hydrogen and a metal electrolyte. Said flow cell comprises a precipitate of metal oxi and said metal oxide comprises vanadium or manganese. The method further comprises electrochemically generating a redox active precipitate removal species from a precursor species, wherein said redox active precipitate removal species is capable of converting said metal oxide. The method further comprises exposing said metal oxide to said redox active precipitate removal species to effect conversion of the metal oxide.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a flow cell, the method comprising:
providing a flow cell suitable for generating electrical power from hydrogen and a metal electrolyte, wherein said flow cell comprises a precipitate of metal oxide, and wherein said metal oxide comprises vanadium or manganese; electrochemically generating a redox active precipitate removal species from a precursor species, wherein said redox active precipitate removal species is capable of converting said metal oxide; and exposing said metal oxide to said redox active precipitate removal species to effect conversion of the metal oxide.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the precursor species comprises
a metal.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the precursor species comprises titanium.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the precursor species comprises Ti 4+ , Al 3+ , Sn 4+ , Fe 3+ species.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the redox active precipitate removal species comprises a metal selected from Ti 3+ , Al 2+ , Sn 2+ , Fe 2+ .

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said flow cell comprises a catholyte chamber for said metal electrolyte and wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted in said catholyte chamber.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
said flow cell comprises a catholyte chamber for said metal electrolyte, said electrochemically generating is conducted in an electrochemical cell separate from said catholyte chamber, and said metal electrolyte is delivered into said separate electrochemical cell.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted at or below a voltage sufficient to effect reduction of the precursor species.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted at a voltage above about 0.0 V.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted below a voltage at which oxidation of the precursor species occurs.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted at a voltage up to about 0.5 V.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically generating is conducted at a voltage up to about 0.1 V.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising supplying hydrogen during said electrochemically generating.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein said hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said flow cell comprises a catholyte chamber and wherein, prior to the step of electrochemically generating, said method comprises:
providing depleted metal electrolyte and redox active precipitate removal species to said catholyte chamber; and charging the flow cell, thereby converting the depleted metal electrolyte into charged metal electrolyte and converting the redox active precipitate removal species into said precursor species.

16 . An electrochemical apparatus comprising a first flow cell and a second flow cell:
wherein the first flow cell comprises:
a reversible hydrogen gas anode, in an anode chamber; and
a reversible liquid catholyte cathode in a cathode chamber, the cathode chamber comprising a metal oxide precipitate; and
wherein the second flow cell is configured to generate a redox active precipitate removal species from a precursor species, said second flow cell being in fluid communication with the first flow cell to enable passage of liquid catholyte between the second flow cell and cathode chamber of the first flow cell.

17 . An electrochemical apparatus comprising a flow cell, the flow cell comprising:
a reversible hydrogen gas anode, in an anolyte chamber; and a reversible cathode in a catholyte chamber, the catholyte chamber comprising a metal oxide precipitate; wherein the apparatus is configured to generate a redox active precipitate removal species in the catholyte chamber.

18 . The electrochemical apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising the redox active precipitate removal species or a precursor species capable of generating the redox active precipitate removal species in the catholyte chamber.

19 . The electrochemical apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the precursor species comprises titanium.

20 . The electrochemical apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the redox active precipitate removal species comprises a metal selected from Ti 3+ , Al 2+ , Sn 2+ , and Fe 2+ .

21 - 25 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Ip2Ipo Innovations Ltd

Inventors

• Kucernak Anthony
• Rubio-Garcia Javier

Classifications

• H01M8/06

  Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues (regenerative fuel cells H01M8/18) · 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

• H01M2300/0068

  inorganic · CPC title

• H01M8/0656

  by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence) · CPC title