High performance redox flow battery stack

A redox flow battery stack cell frame, comprising a quadrilateral support frame and a quadrilateral, monolithic bipolar plate integrated with the quadrilateral support frame, wherein:

• the quadrilateral, monolithic bipolar plate has a first side edge, an opposing side edge, a length LP between the first side edge and the opposing side edge, a first surface, an opposing surface, and a depth DP between the upper surface and the lower surface, the bipolar plate comprising a plurality of interdigitated flow channels in the first surface, the interdigitated flow channels comprising alternating inlet flow channels and outlet flow channels, each channel having a depth DC less than 0.5× the depth DP of the bipolar plate, wherein
• (i) the inlet flow channels extend inwardly from the first side edge of the bipolar plate and have a length LI less than the length LP between the first side edge and opposing side edge of the bipolar plate, and
• (ii) the outlet flow channels extend inwardly from the opposing side edge of the bipolar plate and have a length LO less than the length LP between the first side edge and opposing side edge of the bipolar plate;
• the quadrilateral support frame has a facing surface and an opposing surface, and defines an open space sized to receive the bipolar plate, wherein an inner edge of the support frame is in contact with the bipolar plate, the support frame comprising
• an inlet port extending through a first side of the support frame,
• an inlet manifold formed into the facing surface of the first side of the frame and in fluid communication with the inlet port, the inlet manifold comprising a plurality of spaced-apart fluid inlet distribution channels in a serpentine arrangement, each fluid inlet distribution channel extending from the inlet port parallel to an edge of the first side for a first distance, and then diverging such that an outlet of the fluid inlet distribution channel is aligned in fluid communication with a single inlet flow channel of the bipolar plate,
• an outlet port extending through an opposing side of the frame, and
• an outlet manifold formed into the facing surface of the opposing side of the frame and in fluid communication with the outlet port, the outlet manifold comprising a plurality of spaced-apart fluid outlet distribution channels in a serpentine arrangement, each fluid outlet distribution channel extending from the outlet port parallel to an edge of the opposing side for a first distance, and then diverging such that an inlet of the fluid outlet distribution channel is aligned in fluid communication with a single outlet flow channel of the bipolar plate.