Flow Battery Fluid Exchange System and Method

A flow battery system comprising:

• a flow battery comprising,
• at least one positively charged tank having an inlet and an outlet and comprising a positively charged electrolyte, wherein the outlet is located at a base of the at least one positively charged tank;
• at least one negatively charged tank having an inlet and an outlet and comprising a negatively charged electrolyte, wherein the outlet is located at a base of the at least one negatively charged tank;
• at least one cell stack comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode separated by a membrane operable to allow permeation of an ion between the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
• a positive flow tube connecting the positively charged tank to the positive electrode;
• a negative flow tube connecting the negatively charged tank to the negative electrode;
• a tank seal located at the base of either the positively charged tank or the negatively charged tank, the tank seal being operable to seal the outlet of the positively charged tank or the outlet of the negatively charged tank to prevent flow of electrolyte from exiting the positively charged tank to the positive flow tube or exiting the negatively charged tank to the negative flow tube,
• a power source operable to provide an electric current to the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
• a pump;
• a drainage tube configured to transport the positively charged electrolyte or the negatively charged electrolyte into and out of the flow battery system;
• a diverter coupled to either the positive flow tube or the negative flow tube;
• wherein the diverter is operable to divert flow of either the positively charged electrolyte or the negatively charged electrolyte from either the positive flow tube or the negative flow tube to the drainage tube;
• a check valve disposed at the drainage tube;
• and
• a liquid detector operable to detect the amount of either the positively charged electrolyte or the negatively charged electrolyte;
• and
• a control module communicatively coupled to the flow battery and operable to actuate a plurality of settings for the flow battery.

A method for draining a flow battery system, said method comprising the following steps:

• providing a flow battery system comprising a plurality of tanks comprising charged electrolyte, a pump operable to pump electrolyte through said flow battery system, and a diverter operable to divert the flow of said electrolyte from within said flow battery system to a drainage tube;
• activating the pump to pump electrolyte from said flow battery system through said diverter to said drainage tube;
• monitoring amount of electrolyte in said flow battery system;
• and
• deactivating said pump when the amount of electrolyte in said flow battery system is substantially zero.

A method for refueling a flow battery system, said method comprising the following steps:

• providing a flow battery system comprising a plurality of tanks configured to hold charged electrolyte, each tank having a bottom tank seal, a pump operable to pump electrolyte through said flow battery system, and a diverter operable to divert the flow of said electrolyte from a drainage tube into said flow battery system;
• activating bottom tank seals;
• activating the pump to pump electrolyte from said drainage tube through said diverter into said tanks;
• monitoring amount of electrolyte in said tanks;
• deactivating said pump when a threshold level of electrolyte is reached in said tank;
• closing said diverter;
• and
• deactivating bottom tank seals.