ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES
Provided herein are energy storage devices. In some cases, the energy storage devices are capable of being transported on a vehicle and storing a large amount of energy. An energy storage device is provided comprising at least one liquid metal electrode, an energy storage capacity of at least about 1 MWh and a response time less than or equal to about 100 milliseconds (ms).
1 . An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a container including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte disposed between the negative electrode and positive electrode, wherein the electrochemical energy storage device has a first potential difference between the negative electrode and positive electrode at a first temperature that is less than about 50° C. and a second potential difference between the negative electrode and positive electrode at a second temperature of at least about 250° C., wherein the second potential difference is greater than the first potential difference, wherein at least two of the positive electrode, electrolyte and negative electrode are liquid at the second temperature, wherein the container has a surface area-to-volume ratio of less than or equal to about 100 m −1 , and wherein the electrochemical energy storage device maintains at least about 90% of its energy storage capacity after 500 charge/discharge cycles.
2 . The electrochemical energy storage device of claim 1 , wherein the container contains one or more electrochemical cells, and wherein an individual electrochemical cell of the one or more electrochemical cells includes the negative electrode, the positive electrode and the electrolyte.
3 . The electrochemical energy storage device of claim 2 , wherein, over the charge/discharge cycle, a rate of heat generation in the individual electrochemical cell is greater than or equal to about 50% of a rate of heat loss from the individual electrochemical cell.
4 . The electrochemical energy storage device of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical energy storage device maintains at least about 90% of its energy storage capacity after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles.
5 . An energy storage system, comprising:
a container comprising one or more energy storage cells, wherein an individual energy storage cell of the one or more energy storage cells comprises at least one liquid electrode; and
a control system comprising a computer processor that is programmed to monitor at least one operating temperature of the one or more energy storage cells and/or the container, wherein the computer processor regulates a flow of electrical energy into at least a subset of the one or more energy storage cells such that the subset undergoes sustained self-heating over a charge/discharge cycle.
6 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein, over the charge/discharge cycle, a rate of heat generation in the individual energy storage cell is greater than or about equal to a rate of heat loss from the individual energy storage cell.
7 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein, over the charge/discharge cycle, a rate of heat generation in the individual energy storage cell is less than or equal to about 150% of a rate of heat loss from the individual energy storage cell.
8 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the computer processor monitors the at least one operating temperature and regulates the flow of electrical energy such that the at least one operating temperature is greater than or equal to about 250° C. and the at least one liquid electrode is maintained as a liquid.
9 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the computer processor monitors the at least one operating temperature and regulates the flow of electrical energy such that over the charge/discharge cycle, the at least one operating temperature is greater than or equal to about 250° C.
10 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one liquid electrode comprises (i) lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or any combination thereof, or (ii) antimony, lead, tin, tellurium, bismuth, or any combination thereof.
11 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the individual energy storage cell further comprises an electrolyte adjacent to the at least one liquid electrode.
12 . The energy storage system of claim 11 , wherein the electrolyte is liquid, solid or a paste.
13 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more energy storage cells maintain at least about 90% of their energy storage capacity after 100 charge/discharge cycles.
14 . The energy storage system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more energy storage cells maintain at least about 90% of their energy storage capacity after 500 charge/discharge cycles.
15 . The energy storage system of claim 13 , wherein the individual energy storage cell has an efficiency of at least about 80%.
16 . The energy storage system of claim 15 , wherein the individual energy storage cell has an efficiency of at least about 80% at a current density of at least about 100 mA/cm 2 .
17 . The energy storage system of claim 15 , wherein the individual energy storage cell has an efficiency of at least about 90%.
18 . The energy storage system of claim 17 , wherein the individual energy storage cell has an efficiency of at least about 90% at a current density of at least about 100 mA/cm 2 .
19 . An energy storage device comprising a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte disposed between the negative electrode and positive electrode, wherein at least one of the positive electrode and negative electrode is liquid at an operating temperature of the energy storage device that is greater than a non-operating temperature of the energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device maintains at least about 90% of its energy storage capacity after 500 charge/discharge cycles, and wherein the energy storage device has an efficiency of at least about 80% at a current density of at least about 100 mA/cm 2 .
20 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device maintains at least about 95% of its energy storage capacity after 500 charge/discharge cycles.
21 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device maintains at least about 90% of its energy storage capacity after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles.
22 . The energy storage device of claim 21 , wherein the energy storage device maintains at least about 98% of its energy storage capacity after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles.
23 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the positive electrode, negative electrode and electrolyte are in a container that has a surface area-to-volume ratio that is less than or equal to about 100 m −1 .
24 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the operating temperature is greater than or equal to about 250° C.
25 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device has an energy storage capacity of at least about 1 kWh.
26 . The energy storage device of claim 25 , wherein the energy storage capacity is greater than or equal to about 100 MWh.
27 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein a response time of the energy storage device is less than or equal to about 100 milliseconds (ms).
28 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device comprises a liquid negative electrode.
29 . The energy storage device of claim 28 , wherein the energy storage device further comprises a liquid positive electrode.
30 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the positive electrode, electrolyte and negative electrode are liquid at the operating temperature of the energy storage device.
31 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the electrolyte is liquid.
32 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein (i) the negative electrode comprises lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or any combination thereof, or (ii) the positive electrode comprises (ii) antimony, lead, tin, tellurium, bismuth, or any combination thereof.
33 . The energy storage device of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device is transportable at the operating temperature.