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US 2014/0272484 A1Published application
Electrochemical cell stack having a protective flow channel
AssigneeUniEnergy Technologies, LLC
InventorsLiyu Li, Jinfeng Wu, Chenxi Sun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are improved electrochemical cell stacks having at least one protective channel on an end of the stack. Redox flow batteries (RFBs) containing the “protected” electrochemical cell stacks, and methods of operating such RFBs, are also provided.
Claims24
A protected electrochemical cell stack for a redox flow battery, comprising
- (a) a plurality of electrochemical cells configured in a stack, wherein each of the plurality of electrochemical cells comprises a positive portion separated from a negative portion by an ion transfer membrane, wherein the positive portion comprises a cathode separated from the ion transfer membrane by an electrochemical cell catholyte channel, and wherein the negative portion comprises an anode separated from the ion transfer membrane by an electrochemical cell anolyte channel;
- and
- (b) a first protective cell disposed on a first end of the stack, wherein the first protective cell comprises a first protective cell anolyte channel and a first protective cell catholyte channel, wherein the first protective cell anolyte channel is in liquid communication with at least one electrochemical cell anolyte channel in the plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein the first protective catholyte channel is in liquid communication with at least one electrochemical cell catholyte channel in the plurality of electrochemical cells, and wherein the first protective cell anolyte channel is not in ionic communication with the first protective cell catholyte channel.
A protected electrochemical cell stack for a redox flow battery, comprising
- (a) a plurality of electrochemical cells configured in a stack, wherein each of the plurality of electrochemical cells comprises a positive portion separated from a negative portion by an ion transfer membrane, wherein the positive portion comprises a cathode separated from the ion transfer membrane by an electrochemical cell catholyte channel, and wherein the negative portion comprises an anode separated from the ion transfer membrane by an electrochemical cell anolyte channel;
- and
- (b) a first protective channel disposed on a first end of the stack, wherein the first protective channel is in liquid communication with either at least one electrochemical cell anolyte channel in the plurality of electrochemical cells or at least one electrochemical cell catholyte channel in the plurality of electrochemical cells, and wherein the first protective channel is configured to allow an electrolyte to pass without undergoing an electrochemical reaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.