SYSTEM ENERGY DENSITY IN A REDOX FLOW BATTERY
A redox flow battery (RFB) controllable by a battery management system and having an energy output has a volume of at least 2000 liters and an energy density of at least 10 w-h/liter. In one embodiment, the RFB maintains at an energy density of at least 10 w-h/liter for a minimum of 50 continuous full charge/discharge cycles or the equivalent number of operating hours without user input.
1 . A redox flow battery (RFB) controllable by a battery management system and having an energy output, comprising:
at least one anolyte tank and at least one catholyte tank;
at least one stack comprising electrochemical cells;
at least one anolyte circulating system;
at least one catholyte circulating system;
at least one crossover pipe that fluidically connects the at least one catholyte tank and the at least one anolyte tank for electrolyte exchange; and
one or more contiguous containers configured to house the at least one anolyte tank, the at least one catholyte tank, the at least one stack, the at least one anolyte circulating system, and the at least one catholyte circulating system in a substantially enclosed manner, wherein the one or more containers has a volume of at least 2000 liters and wherein the RFB operated by the battery management system has an energy density of at least 10 w-h/liter.
2 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , wherein the interior space of the container is divided into at least a first compartment that houses the at least one anolyte tank and the at least one catholyte tank and a second compartment that houses the at least one stack.
3 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , wherein the interior space of the container is divided into at least a first compartment that houses the at least one anolyte tank, a second compartment that houses the at least one catholyte tank, and a third compartment that houses the at least one stack.
4 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , wherein the volume contained in the at least one catholyte tank and the volume contained in the at least one anolyte tank have a pre-determined ratio of anolyte to catholyte or catholyte to anolyte in the range of about 1:1.05 to about 1:1.50.
5 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 2 , wherein the container includes a bulkhead that divides the interior space into the first compartment and the second compartment.
6 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 5 , wherein the bulkhead is structural or non-structural.
7 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 5 , wherein the container is generally rectangular in shape, defining a bottom wall, lengthwise side walls, widthwise end walls, and a top wall, and wherein the bulkhead is coupled between the lengthwise side walls and extends upwardly from the bottom wall a majority of the height of the container.
8 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 8 , wherein the at least one anolyte tank and the at least one catholyte tank are configured to extend between the bulkhead and a first end wall that define the first compartment so as to be adjacent or abut against the bulkhead and the end wall.
9 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 8 , wherein the area defined by lengthwise sidewalls and widthwise side walls of the at least one anolyte tank or the at least one catholyte tank fills at least 85% of the area defined by the first compartment or the second compartment.
10 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 8 , wherein the bottom wall and the lengthwise side walls of the container are configured to support the at least one anolyte tank and the at least one catholyte tank when filled with electrolyte.
11 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 2 , wherein the first compartment is configured to provide secondary containment of electrolyte so as to isolate the electrolyte from the second compartment.
12 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 7 , wherein the container has a length in the range of 10-53 feet and a height in the range of 7-10 feet.
13 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 7 , wherein the container complies with or is similarly configured like a 20-53 ft ISO shipping container having a height of either 8 or 9.5 feet.
14 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 8 , wherein each of the at least anolyte tank and the at least one catholyte tank includes a pump tub assembly sealably mounted into the top wall and/or a side wall of at least one tank.
15 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 14 , wherein each pump tub assembly includes a tub mounted into the top wall and/or a side wall and having a bottom wall positioned below an electrolyte level in the at least one tank and an interface into the at least one tank below the top wall level of the at least one tank.
16 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 15 , wherein the interface is a discharge interface configured for coupling with a discharge pipe of the respective circulating system.
17 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 15 , wherein the interface is a return interface configured for coupling with a return pipe of the respective circulating system.
18 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 15 , wherein each pump tub assembly further includes a pump connected in fluid communication with the discharge interface and with the electrolyte stored in the respective tank.
19 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 14 , wherein each pump tub assembly further includes a headspace interface coupled in fluid communication with a head space of the respective tank.
20 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , further comprising one or more shunt current mitigating coiled manifolds.
21 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , wherein the anolyte tank has a volume and wherein the catholyte has a volume, the ratio of the volume of the anolyte tank to the volume of the catholyte tank being in the range of 1.05:1 to about 1.5:1.
22 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 1 , where the container is a 20 foot ISO shipping container and wherein the container includes a total electrolyte volume of at least 20 meters 3 .
23 . A redox flow battery (RFB) controllable by a battery management system and having an energy output, comprising:
at least one anolyte tank and at least one catholyte tank;
at least one stack comprising electrochemical cells;
at least one anolyte circulating system;
at least one catholyte circulating system;
at least one crossover pipe that fluidically connects the at least one catholyte tank and the at least one anolyte tank for electrolyte exchange; and
one or more contiguous containers configured to house the at least one anolyte tank, the at least one catholyte tank, the at least one stack, the at least one anolyte circulating system, and the at least one catholyte circulating system in a substantially enclosed manner, wherein the one or more containers has a volume of at least 2000 liters and wherein the RFB operated by the battery management system has an energy density of at least 10 w-h/liter and wherein the RFB maintains at an energy density of at least 10 w-h/liter for a minimum of 50 continuous full charge/discharge cycles or the equivalent number of operating hours without user input.
24 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 23 , further comprising passive electrolyte transfer and/or gas exchange.
25 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 23 , further comprising active electrolyte transfer and/or gas exchange.
26 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 23 , further comprising automatic addition of reductant.
27 . The redox flow battery (RFB) of claim 23 , further comprising a gas management system comprising a bi-directional pressure management assembly and conduits that provide gas communication between the anolyte and catholyte tanks.