Electrolyte health management for redox flow battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024396067-A1
Application number	US-202418792266-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2024
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Nov 28, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a rebalancing reactor of a flow battery system. In one example, a pH of a battery electrolyte may be maintained by the rebalancing reactor by applying a negative potential to a catalyst bed of the rebalancing reactor. A performance of the rebalancing reactor may further be maintained by treating the catalyst bed with deionized water.

First claim

1 . A method, comprising:
activating a conductive wire coupled to a catalyst bed in response to a ferric iron reduction rate decreasing below a threshold rate, wherein the catalyst bed is arranged in a cell balancing reactor of a redox flow battery system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the conductive wire comprises supplying a voltage from a battery to the conductive wire.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the voltage is in a range between −400 to −600 mV.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising soaking the catalyst bed with a threshold volume of deionized water, the threshold volume proportional to an area of the catalyst bed.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst bed further comprises a hydrogen oxidation catalyst embedded therein.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing deionized water to the catalyst bed and blocking the flow of hydrogen and electrolyte to the cell balancing reactor following a threshold interval.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire is secured within the catalyst bed.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire extends throughout an entire axial length of the catalyst bed.

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Song Yang
• Mcdonald Timothy J
• Behr Alexandria

Classifications

• H01M8/04186

  of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/0444

  Concentration; Density (H01M8/04492 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

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

• H01M8/04477

  of the electrolyte · CPC title