Technology Overview

The increased presence of intermittency in renewable energy systems as well as fluctuating electricity demand over a diurnal cycle requires an efficient and cost-effective grid-level integrated energy storage system. Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are regarded as a promising energy storage solution due to their inherent technical advantage of customisable energy and power capacities. However, redox flow batteries have lower energy densities than integrated cell architectures. Many studies and development have been conducted to improve the energy efficiency of RFBs, among them, reducing shunt current loss and internal resistance are one of the most effective approach.

Based in Singapore, the technology owner has developed a novel flow frame design for flow battery cell stacks to reduce internal ohmic resistance, thereby increasing the conductive path and minimising the shunt current. The frame architecture provides a uniform flow field, low contact resistance and helps to strengthen the frame structure during cell stack assembly. When coupled with a modular bipolar plate developed by the technology owner, the engineered flow frame design provides a more uniform electrolyte flow path to improve the overall system efficiency, while reduces assembly complexity and maintenance cost.

The technology owner is seeking industry partners to license the technology and co-develop energy storage systems for various applications.

Technology Features, Specifications and Advantages

• Extra flexibility to optimise the system performance and minimise shunt current.
• Convenient to adjust the length of the flow channels on the manifold sets according to specific operating conditions.
• Reduced bulk resistance with no significant increase of flow resistance.
• More uniform electrolyte flow paths to improve the overall system efficiency.

Potential Applications

The RFB is deployable for both grid-level power and energy applications, such as all vanadium, vanadium/bromine, iron/chromium, bromine/polysulfide, lithium redox flow batteries, depending on the electrolytes supplied to the first and second active reaction compartments.

Customer Benefit

The customer benefits of this modular bipolar plate and novel flow frame for redox flow battery include better stack performance, low shunt current or parasitic current loss, low maintenance cost, robust sealing, and a simplified assembly process. Due to these advantages, the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of this new system is remarkably better.