A Cost-Effective Vanadium Redox Flow Battery with an Embedded Cell Design and Its Scale-up

Monday, 10 October 2022
A. Reed, T. P. Plateau, H. Pham, and J. Park (Missouri University of Science and Technology)
Increased adoption of variable renewable energy sources heavily relies on the advancement of energy storage technologies like batteries. Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) have gained popularity in recent years due to their potential as grid scale energy storage systems. However, current VRFB designs require many gaskets and seals to prevent leakage. Our novel design eliminates many of these parts, allowing for a smaller cell size, lower weight, and cost savings. In addition to the economic benefits of the new design, the use of new materials and decreased leakage show better electrochemical performance when compared to a traditional cell design, such as improved cycling stability and energy efficiency. Additionally, the flow battery design is capable of being refueled much like a traditional engine. This allows for quicker recharging when compared to traditional charging techniques. Cycling tests are conducted to compare the electrochemical performance of this novel VRFB design with traditional assemblies. The scalability of this design is shown with multiple embedded cells in the outer plastic frame to allow for either high voltage or high-capacity applications.