Patent Application

App. No. 12/577,134

Abstract

Claims (28)

1 . A stack in a flow battery, the stack comprising:

interior elements positioned between two end elements, the two end elements each including an electrode, and the interior elements including membrane elements alternating with electrode elements,

wherein the membrane elements include a membrane bonded to a membrane frame, and the electrode elements include an electrode bonded to an electrode frame, the membrane frame and the electrode frame both being identical interior frames, and

wherein the membrane frame and the electrode frame are positioned such that the membrane frame is rotated by 180° from the electrode frame.

2 . The battery stack of claim 1 , wherein the interior frame includes electrolyte openings such that a first electrolyte input manifold, a first electrolyte output manifold, a second electrolyte input manifold, and a second electrolyte output manifold are formed in the stack, and

wherein the electrode elements flow a first electrolyte between the first electrolyte input manifold and the first electrolyte output manifold, and

wherein the membrane elements flow a second electrolyte between the second electrolyte input manifold and the second electrolyte output manifold.

3 . The battery stack of claim 2 , wherein the interior frames include a first flow channel coupled to a first electrolyte opening, and a second flow channel coupled to a second electrolyte opening, the first electrolyte opening and the second electrolyte opening positioned in the stack to flow electrolyte between manifolds.

4 . The battery stack of claim 3 , wherein the first and second flow channels of any two adjacent interior frames are asymmetric about a vertical axis such that the first and second flow channels of one of the adjacent interior frame flows a first electrolyte between the first electrolyte input manifold and the first electrolyte output manifold, and the first and second flow channels of the other adjacent frame flows a second electrolyte between the second electrolyte input manifold and the second electrolyte output manifold.

5 . The battery stack of claim 4 , wherein one end element includes an electrode coupled to the interior frame, wherein the second electrolyte input manifold and the second electrolyte output manifold are each sealed with at least one plug.

6 . The battery stack of claim 5 , wherein an opposite end element includes an electrode coupled to the interior frame, wherein the first electrolyte input manifold and the first electrolyte output manifold are each sealed with the at least one plug, and the first and second flow channels are filled with a sealing.

7 . The battery stack of claim 1 , wherein the interior frame includes at least one surface feature to prevent incorrect assembly of two adjacent interior frames.

8 . The battery stack of claim 7 , wherein the at least one surface feature includes at least one protrusion.

9 . The battery stack of claim 7 , wherein the at least one surface feature includes at least one hole.

10 . A method for assembling a stack for use in a flow battery, the method comprising:

assembling two end elements, the two end elements each including an electrode;

assembling membrane elements, the membrane elements each including a membrane bonded to a membrane frame,

assembling electrode elements, the electrode elements each including an electrode bonded to an electrode frame, both the membrane frame and the electrode frame being identical interior frames;

positioning the interior elements between the two end elements with membrane elements alternating with electrode elements and with membrane frames positioned opposite by a rotation of 180° from electrode frames; and

coupling the stack together.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the membrane includes a porous membrane.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein assembling two end elements includes mounting an electrode assembly to an end frame which is identical with the interior frame.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrode assembly includes at least one terminal.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein coupling each of the odd number of interior elements together with the two end elements includes

aligning interior elements, the interior elements being alternating membrane elements and electrode elements, such that a first surface feature of an interior frame of one element with a second surface feature of an adjacent interior frame of an adjacent element;

coupling all the interior frames to form a first electrolyte input manifold, a first electrolyte output manifold, a second electrolyte input manifold, and a second electrolyte output manifold and wherein membrane frames flow a first electrolyte between the first electrolyte input manifold and the first electrolyte output manifold and wherein electrode frames flow a second electrolyte between the second electrolyte input manifold and the second electrolyte output manifold.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first surface feature or the second surface feature includes at least one hole.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first surface feature or the second surface feature includes at least one protrusion.

Assignments (9)