Flow-Through Metal Battery with Ion Exchange Membrane
A metal flow-through battery is provided, with ion exchange membrane. The flow-through battery is primarily made up of an anode slurry, a cathode slurry, and a hydroxide (OH − ) anion exchange membrane interposed between the anode slurry and the cathode slurry, The anode and cathode slurries are both aqueous slurries. The anode slurry includes a metal, and associated oxides, such as magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), or zinc (Zn). The cathode slurry includes a chemical agent such as nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), nickel (II) hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ), manganese oxide (MnO 2 ), manganese (II) oxide (Mn 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (FeO), iron (III) hydroxide (Fe(OH)), or combinations of the above-referenced materials. A method is also provided for forming a voltage potential across a flow-through battery.
1 . A metal flow-through battery with ion exchange membrane, the flow-through battery comprising:
an anode slurry;
a cathode slurry; and,
a hydroxide (OH − ) anion exchange membrane interposed between the anode slurry and the cathode slurry.
2 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 wherein the anode slurry includes a metal, and associated oxides, selected from a group consisting of magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
3 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 wherein the cathode slurry includes a chemical agent selected from a group consisting of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), nickel (II) hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ), manganese oxide (MnO 2 ), manganese (II) oxide (Mn 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (FeO), iron (III) hydroxide (Fe(OH) 3 ), and combinations of the above-referenced materials.
4 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 wherein the anode and cathode slurries are aqueous slurries.
5 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 wherein the flow-through battery is completely charged and discharged in a voltage potential range of 0 to 2.5 volts
6 . The flow-through battery of claim 2 wherein the anode slurry additionally includes potassium hydroxide (KOH); and,
wherein the cathode slurry includes KOH and a chemical agent selected from a group consisting of NiOOH, MnO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , Ni(OH) 2 , Mn 2 O 3 , FeO, Fe(OH) 3 , and combinations of the above-referenced materials.
7 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 further comprising:
an anode compartment with an anion exchange membrane interface, a first stationary current collector, an input flow port, and an output flow port;
a cathode compartment with an anion exchange membrane interface, a second stationary current collector, an input flow port, and an output flow port;
an anode slurry reservoir connected to the input and output flow ports of the anode compartment; and,
a cathode slurry reservoir connected to the input and output flow ports of the cathode compartment.
8 . The flow-through battery of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cells, where each cell includes an anode slurry and a cathode slurry, and where the plurality of cells are connected in a configuration selected from a group consisting of series and parallel electrical connections.
9 . The flow-through battery of claim 8 wherein each cell further comprising:
an anode compartment with an anion exchange membrane interface, a first stationary current collector, an input flow port, and an output flow port;
a cathode compartment with an anion exchange membrane interface, a second stationary current collector, an input flow port, and an output flow port;
an anode slurry reservoir;
a cathode slurry reservoir;
wherein the anode slurry reservoir and the plurality of anode compartments are connected in series; and,
wherein the cathode slurry reservoir and the plurality of cathode compartments are connected in series.
10 . The flow-through battery of claim 8 wherein the plurality of cells are electrically connected in series;
the flow-through battery further comprising:
a plurality of sequential plates comprising:
an electrically conductive first end plate with an anode compartment;
an electrically conductive second end plate with a cathode compartment;
at least one electrically conductive bipolar plate configured between the first and second end plates, each bipolar plate comprising a first side with an anode compartment and a second side with a cathode compartment; and,
an OH − anion exchange membrane interposed between. each plate.
11 . The flow-through battery of claim 10 wherein the first end plate and each bipolar plate comprise an anode input flow port and an anode output flow port;
wherein the second end plate and each bipolar plate comprise an input cathode flow port and an output cathode flow port;
the flow-through battery further comprising:
an anode slurry reservoir;
a cathode slurry reservoir;
wherein the anode slurry reservoir and the plurality of anode compartments are connected in series; and,
wherein the cathode slurry reservoir and the plurality of cathode compartments are connected in series.
12 . The flow-through battery of claim 8 wherein the plurality of cells are electrically connected in parallel;
the flow-through battery further comprising:
a first plurality of sequential electrically conductive anode plates, each anode plate comprising an anode compartment;
a first plurality of sequential electrically conductive cathode plates, each cathode plate comprising a cathode compartment;
a first plurality of OH − anion exchange membranes, each OH − anion exchange membrane interposed between an associated pair of anode and cathode plates.
13 . The flow-through battery of claim 12 wherein each anode plate comprises an anode input flow port and an anode output flow port;
wherein each cathode plate comprises an input cathode flow port and an output cathode flow port;
the flow-through battery further comprising:
an anode slurry reservoir;
a cathode slurry reservoir;
wherein the anode slurry reservoir and the plurality of anode compartments are connected in series; and,
wherein the cathode slurry reservoir and the plurality of cathode compartments are connected in series.
14 . The flow-through battery of claim 7 further comprising:
a first flow-dynamic current collector network, including electrically conductive particles, formed in the anode slurry and electrically connected to the first stationary current collector; and,
a second flow-dynamic current collector network, including electrically conductive particles, formed in the cathode slurry and electrically connected to the second stationary current collector.
15 . A method for forming a voltage potential across a flow-through battery, the method comprising:
providing a battery with an anode slurry and a cathode slurry, separated by a hydroxide (OH − ) anion exchange membrane;
generating a flow of OH − ions and electrons between the cathode slurry and the anode slurry in the battery; and,
generating a voltage potential across a load electrically connected between the anode slurry and the cathode slurry.
16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
replenishing the cathode slurry from a cathode slurry reservoir; and,
replenishing the anode slurry from an anode slurry reservoir.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein providing the anode slurry includes providing an anode slurry comprising a metal, and associated oxides, selected from a group consisting of magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein providing the cathode slurry includes providing a cathode slurry comprising a chemical agent selected from a group consisting of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), nickel (II) hydroxide (Ni(OH) 2 ), manganese oxide (MnO 2 ), manganese (II) oxide (Mn 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), iron (III) oxide (FeO), iron (III) hydroxide (Fe(OH) 3 ), and combinations of the above-referenced materials.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein providing the anode slurry and the cathode slurry includes providing anode and cathode slurries each comprising electrically conductive particles; and,
wherein generating the flow of OH − ions and electrons between the cathode slurry and the anode slurry includes forming flow-dynamic current collector networks in the anode and cathode slurries in response to the electrically conductive particles.