In-Situ Health Monitoring System for Redox Flow Batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024210356-A1
Application number	US-202318541396-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Nov 18, 2022
Publication date	Jun 27, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

This document describes techniques and systems for in operando, non-invasive monitoring of byproducts that commonly arise within redox flow batteries. The described techniques and systems allow for accurate, inexpensive, portable, and real-time methods to measure evolution of gas bubbles and precipitates within the electrolyte solutions of redox flow batteries. System operators can monitor and maintain the amount of byproducts within the electrolyte solution by measuring an acoustic attenuation coefficient of the electrolyte solution and changes in the speed at which ultrasonic echoes propagate through the solution. The acoustic attenuation coefficient is measured using an ultrasonic transducer attached to a probing cell, which is connected to an electrolyte flow of a redox flow battery. The acoustic attenuation coefficient provides an accurate, real-time identification of byproducts that is generally insensitive to varying operational temperatures of the electrolyte solution. The probing cell also allows examination of the sound speed as it detects echoes of the transmitted frequencies.

First claim

1 . A system for monitoring an amount of a byproduct generated by a redox flow battery, the system comprising:
a redox flow battery comprising a catholyte half-cell and an anolyte half-cell; and a battery health monitoring system comprising:
a probing cell connected to an outlet of a redox flow battery half-cell to receive an electrolyte solution from the redox flow battery;
an ultrasonic system, comprising:
an ultrasonic pulser-receiver; and
an ultrasonic transducer attached to the probing cell, the ultrasonic transducer configured to:
transmit pulses at a frequency into the probing cell; and
receive echoes, the echoes being reflections of the pulses; and

one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more processors configured to:
detect changes in the acoustic characteristics of the electrolyte solution based on the echoes.
process the echoes to calculate an acoustic characteristic selected from an acoustic attenuation coefficient of the electrolyte solution and an average sound speed through the electrolyte solution;
determine, based on a variability of the acoustic characteristic, an amount of the byproduct in the electrolyte solution; and
provide an indication when the amount of the byproduct in the electrolyte solution exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the redox flow battery half-cell is an anolyte half-cell.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the probing cell is connected to receive an anolyte solution from the anolyte half-cell.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the byproduct is a gas.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the byproduct is hydrogen gas.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the redox flow battery half-cell is an anolyte half-cell.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the probing cell is connected to receive a catholyte solution from the catholyte half-cell.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the byproduct is a solid precipitate.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the byproduct is an oxovanadium compound having a volume average particle size in a range from 0 to 100 nm.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the probing cell is further connected to an electrolyte reservoir inlet to receive the electrolyte solution from the BHMS.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump to return the electrolyte from the electrolyte reservoir to the redox flow battery half-cell.

12 . A method for monitoring an amount of a byproduct in a redox flow battery having an electrolyte half-cell containing an electrolyte solution, the method comprising:
flowing the electrolyte solution into a probing cell; transmitting a plurality of pulses into the probing cell with an ultrasonic transducer attached to a probing cell; receiving, by the ultrasonic transducer, a plurality of echoes from the plurality of pulses reflected by the probing cell; processing, by one or more processors of a computer system, the plurality of echoes to calculate a variability of the acoustic characteristic, the acoustic characteristic selected from an acoustic attenuation coefficient of the electrolyte solution and an average sound speed through the electrolyte solution; determining an amount of a byproduct in the electrolyte solution based on the variability of the acoustic characteristic; providing an indication when the amount of the byproduct exceeds a threshold amount.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the acoustic characteristic is the acoustic attenuation constant of the electrolyte solution.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the acoustic characteristic is the average sound speed of through the electrolyte solution.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte solution is an anolyte solution.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the anolyte solution is a V 3+ solution prepared by charging VOSO 4 and H 2 SO 4 aqueous solutions.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the byproduct is hydrogen gas.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte solution is a catholyte solution.

19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the catholyte solution is a V 4+ solution.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the byproduct is a solid precipitant.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Zang Xiaoqin
• Deng Zhiqun
• Wang Wei
• Yan Litao
• Nie Zimin

Classifications

• G01N29/024

  by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/2475

  Embedded probes, i.e. probes incorporated in objects to be inspected · CPC title

• H01M8/188

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

• G01N29/032 Primary

  by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves · CPC title

• H01M8/04313 Primary

  characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function · CPC title