USING ENERGY IN ELECTROLYTE FOR BLACK START

1 . A method of operating a redox flow battery, comprising:

providing a redox flow battery configurable to be in off and on states and to be in an islanded state, the redox flow battery including electrolyte and having an anolyte storage tank for containing a quantity of anolyte, a catholyte storage tank for containing a quantity of catholyte, and an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks, wherein a portion of the anolyte and a portion of the catholyte is contained in the electrochemical cell, and wherein the redox flow battery is at least partially charged;

identifying the redox flow battery to be in an off and islanded state;

maintaining stored energy in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell when the redox flow battery is in the off and islanded state; and

using the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell to start the redox flow battery and enter the on state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining stored energy in the electrochemical cell when the redox flow battery is in the off and islanded state includes exchanging electrolyte from the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks with the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell periodically.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exchanging electrolyte includes pumping anolyte and catholyte through the electrochemical cell.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the pumping of anolyte and catholyte is achieved by using the main anolyte and catholyte circulation pumps, or by using separate auxiliary pumps.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the pumping of anolyte and catholyte is powered by the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined interval is a continuous flow or based on a predetermined interval.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined interval is based on demand from the system.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined interval is based on a SOC determination.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined interval is a regular or irregular interval.

10 . The system/method of claim 1 , wherein using the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell to start the redox flow battery includes using the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell to maintain operation of the battery management system and operate anolyte and catholyte pumps.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the redox flow battery is a system including multiple redox flow batteries.

12 . A method of operating a redox flow battery, comprising:

providing a redox flow battery configurable to be in off and on states and to be in an islanded state, the redox flow battery including electrolyte and having an anolyte storage tank for containing a quantity of anolyte, a catholyte storage tank for containing a quantity of catholyte, and an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks, wherein a portion of the anolyte and a portion of the catholyte is contained in the electrochemical cell, and wherein the redox flow battery is at least partially charged;

identifying the redox flow battery to be in an off and islanded state;

maintaining stored energy in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell when the redox flow battery is in the off and islanded state by periodically exchanging electrolyte from the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks with the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell; and

using the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell to start the redox flow battery by starting operation of anolyte and catholyte pumps and entering the on state.