Flow battery start-up and recovery management
AssigneeImergy Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsMajid KESHAVARZ, Gopalakrishnan R. PARAKULAM, Bhaskar SOMPALLI, Joe SIMON
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Abstract
A start-up plating process for a flow cell battery is disclosed. Upon start-up of the flow-cell stack, catalysts may have deplated from the electrodes. The catalyst is replated to the electrode by application of currents to the stack prior to circulating electrolyte fluids.
Claims15
1-2. (canceled)
A flow cell system, comprising
- a flow cell stack, the flow cell stack including one or more cells, each of the one or more cells including a first half-cell and a second half-cell;
- a first circulation pump fluidically coupled between a first electrolyte tank and a first half-cell to circulate the first electrolyte through the first half-cell of the flow stack;
- a second circulation pump fluidically coupled between a second electrolyte tank and a second half-cell to circulate a second electrolyte through the second half-cell of the flow stack;
- a first mixing valve fluidically coupled to direct the first electrolyte into the second half-cell for mixing of the first electrolyte and the second electrolyte in the second electrolyte tank;
- a second mixing valve fluidically coupled to direct the second electrolyte in the first half-cell for mixing of the second electrolyte and the first electrolyte in the first electrolyte tank;
- and
- a start-up controller electrically coupled to provide voltages and currents to the stack, to provide control signals to the first circulation pump and the second circulation pump, and to provide control signals to the first mixing valve and the second mixing valve, wherein the start-up controller performs operations to
- force deplete the stack;
- and
- plate the stack.
5-6. (canceled)
A method of starting a flow cell system, wherein a first electrolyte is flowed through a first half of a cell and a second electrolyte is flowed through a second half of the cell in a stack of the flow cell system with first and second circulation pumps, comprising
- force depleting the stack by cross-flowing electrolyte through the stack;
- and
- plating the stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.