Manifold and methods for distributing slurry-based electrodes in flow battery cells
OwnerNicolas Sinclair, Jesse Wainright +1inventors
InventorsNicolas Sinclair, Jesse Wainright, Robert Savinell
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Abstract
flow battery relies on slurry-type electrode in which particles may be selectively and temporarily plated (relative to a solid/standard electrode). Owing to the comparatively viscous nature of the slurry, specific accommodations for the electrolyte flowpaths must be made, thereby eliminating problematic reaction areas across certain facings of the solid electrode that might otherwise impede slurry flow and/or degrade performance of the battery. Methods of operating such a battery, storing electrical energy, and other related processes are also contemplated.
Claims14
A flow battery comprising:
- positive and negative current collector plates, each configured to contact a slurry flowing between an inlet and an outlet and laterally across a gap formed by facings of the positive or negative current collector plate and a separator;
- positive and negative electrolyte reservoirs wherein at least of the positive and negative electrolyte reservoirs is configured to contain a slurry in which selectively plated reaction particles are carried in an electrolyte fluid;
- a manifold assembly defining a flow passage transporting the slurry to the gap, the passage including a transition corner section connecting at opposite ends between an approach tube and a feeder section, wherein the approach tube and transition corner section redirect flowing slurry along a 45° angle (+/−) 5° and the transition corner and feeder redirect flowing slurry along another 45° angle (+/−) 5° so that slurry is orthogonally redirected by the manifold assembly;
- and
- a ramped flow distributor disposed between the inlet and the feeder, said ramped flow distributor having an entrance region and a flow region, wherein a diameter of slurry flow path in the entrance region is larger than a diameter in the flow region and wherein a ramp redirects slurry flow as the diameter of the entrance region transitions to the diameter of the flow region;
- and
- wherein at least one of the manifold assembly and the ramped flow distributor overlay the current collector plate in the flow region so as to prevent slurry from coming into conductive contact with lateral edges of the gap.
A flow battery having at least one slurry electrode, the battery having a positive electrode structure, a negative electrode structure, and a separator disposed between the positive and negative electrode structures and further comprising:
- (a) an evenly distributed slurry electrode flow;
- (b) a smooth flow transition;
- (c) an electrical contact area having predetermined inert space along selected edges thereof;
- and
- (d) a cell gap.
A method for operating a flow battery having a slurry electrode in which particles may be selectively plated when the particles are passed through a reaction chamber, the method comprising:
- providing a slurry electrode and a reaction chamber;
- directing the slurry electrode from a reservoir through a transition section having two spaced apart, angled sections configured to avoid eddy currents;
- constricting flow the slurry electrode immediately before providing the slurry electrode to an inlet of the reaction chamber, said constricting eliminating pressure drop;
- creating inert, non-conductive areas at lateral edges of the reaction chamber in which no-slip conditions occur;
- and
- removing the slurry electrode through an outlet and transporting the slurry electrode a second transition section having two spaced apart, angled sections configured to avoid eddy currents and back to the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.