Alternative low cost electrodes for hybrid flow batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022231309-A1
Application number	US-202217653620-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2022
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A redox flow battery may include: a membrane interposed between a first electrode positioned at a first side of the membrane and a second electrode positioned at a second side of the membrane opposite to the first side; a first flow field plate comprising a plurality of positive flow field ribs, each of the plurality of positive flow field ribs contacting the first electrode at first supporting regions on the first side; and the second electrode, including an electrode spacer positioned between the membrane and a second flow field plate, the electrode spacer comprising a plurality of main ribs, each of the plurality of main ribs contacting the second flow field plate at second supporting regions on the second side, each of the second supporting regions aligned opposite to one of the plurality of first supporting regions. As such, a current density distribution at a plating surface may be reduced.

First claim

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . A method of assembling a redox flow battery, comprising:
on a plating side of a membrane, sandwiching a plating electrolyte flow field and a plating electrode spacer between the membrane and a plating flow field plate, the plating electrode spacer comprising a plurality of main ribs; on a redox side of the membrane, sandwiching a redox electrolyte flow field between a redox electrode and a redox flow field plate, the redox electrode comprising a plurality of positive flow field ribs; and aligning each of the plurality of main ribs with the plurality of positive flow field ribs, wherein upon compressing the plating flow field plate and the redox flow field plate towards the membrane, the main ribs are opposingly supported by the positive flow field ribs across the membrane without substantially changing a dimension of the plating electrolyte flow field.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming the plurality of main ribs and forming a plurality of support ribs transversely connected in a non-woven manner to the plurality of main ribs.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the plurality of main ribs and forming the plurality of support ribs includes forming the plurality of main ribs and the plurality of support ribs from a non-conductive material without a conductive coating.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising plating metal from a plating electrolyte on to the plating flow field plate during charging of the redox flow battery without plating the metal on to the plating electrode spacer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising integrating the plating electrode spacer with the membrane by attaching the plating electrode spacer to the membrane.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein integrating the plating electrode spacer with the membrane includes heat sealing the membrane to the plating electrode spacer.

15 . A redox flow battery, comprising:
a negative electrode spacer interposed between a negative side of a membrane and a negative flow field plate, and a positive electrode interposed between a positive side of the membrane and a positive flow field plate wherein,
the negative electrode spacer includes a plurality of main ribs,
the positive electrode includes a plurality of positive flow field ribs opposingly aligned across the membrane from the plurality of main ribs, and
the negative flow field plate includes a continuously smooth plating surface facing the membrane, the plating surface and the membrane sandwiching a non-interdigitated negative electrolyte flow field therebetween.

16 . The redox flow battery of claim 15 , wherein
the negative electrode spacer includes a plurality of support ribs, and an array of evenly-sized openings formed from transversely and non-wovenly joining the plurality of main ribs to the plurality of support ribs.

17 . The redox flow battery of claim 16 , wherein the main ribs comprise solid monolithic structures having constant cross-sections in a longitudinal direction of the main ribs.

18 . The redox flow battery of claim 17 , wherein the main ribs comprise solid monolithic structures having constant cross-sections along an axis perpendicular to a plane of the negative flow field plate.

19 . The redox flow battery of claim 18 , wherein a pitch of the support ribs is less than a pitch of the main ribs.

20 . The redox flow battery of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of main ribs is oriented more parallel to a width of the negative electrode spacer, and the plurality of support ribs is oriented more parallel to a length of the negative electrode spacer.

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Evans Craig E
• Casey Sean
• Song Yang

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M4/8803

  Supports for the deposition of the catalytic active composition (H01M4/90 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/188

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

• H01M4/8817

  Treatment of supports before application of the catalytic active composition (coated porous composites H01M8/0245) · CPC title

• H01M8/0239

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title