Tuesday 20 March 2018

redox flow tech using vanadium

found this on the website of http://www.storen.tech/copia-di-products StorEn VFBs are based on years of creativity and lateral thinking of the StorEn Technical Team in Fuel Cells, Vanadium Flow Batteries and cogeneration. StorEn modules utilize a proprietary electrolyte chemistry that delivers an increased energy density of the modules in the region of +25%. Furthermore, they embed a patent-pending stack design reducing by over 50% the cost of the power side of the battery. The standard long 20-year duration typical of Vanadium Flow Batteries can be exceeded thanks to a patent-pending innovation that extends duration of StorEn batteries to over 15,000 cycles, extending service intervals and reducing maintenance costs. The result of StorEn R&D activities are modules with the highest power and energy density, a modular architecture to satisfy the widest array of customers’ installations requirements, and the lowest Total Cost of Ownership possible today.

redox flow battery Elestor

In addition to the intrinsic advantages related to HBr electricity storage, Elestor has developed a unique HBr storage system concept (patent pending), whereby the full focus has been on minimizing the cost per stored kWh. Each individual system quality (lifetime, no. of (dis)charge cycles, efficiency/cycle, material costs, production costs) contributes to the total cost per stored kWh. In this number, also known as the ‘Levelized Cost of Storage’ [€/kWh], every system quality is taken into account. Minimizing the costs per stored kWh By minimizing manufacturing cost and at the same time optimizing the performance of each system quality, Elestor managed to reduce the total costs per stored kWh. To accomplish this milestone, Elestor has introduced several new technical developments, resulting in: Long system lifetime » Over 10.000 charge/discharge cycles High system efficiency » 80% per complete charge/discharge cycle Low material costs » Abundant availability of Br2 and H2 Low production costs » No H2 compressor required » Smart production procedures » Innovative and simplified – yet robust - system architecture Flow plates End plates Storage system versus battery pack The Elestor storage solution is to be considered a machine rather than a closed battery pack: All parts, circulation pump, valves, electrochemical cells and control electronics, are easily accessible. In contrary to closed battery packs, Elestor’s storage systems can always be repaired, serviced and upgraded, which further prolongs the systems’ already long lifetime, leads to a further reduction of storage costs per kWh, and further enhances the return on investment. As a result, Elestor presents an innovative HBr – based storage system, showing a cost of as low as € 0,05 per kWh. With this cost-level, the Elestor HBr storage system has become the new benchmark in electricity storage technology. www.Elestor.nl

Thursday 15 March 2018

Yet another contender in the battery tech; Proton

A team from Australia's from RMIT University in Melbourne have figured it out to build rechargeable "proton" batteries from abundant carbon and water. If commercialized, the technology could allow for cheaper Powerwall-type home or grid storage to back up solar panels or windmills.During charging, water is split to produce protons, which then pass through a cell membrane and bond to the carbon electrodes, without producing hydrogen gas. To tap the stored energy, the hydrogen ions are released and lose an electron to re-form the protons. The electrons supply power, while the hydrogen protons combine with oxygen and other electrons to re-form into water. The big advantage with proton batteries compared to fuel cells is efficiency. The latter must produce hydrogen gas then split it back into protons, which creates losses. But a proton battery never produces hydrogen gas, so the energy efficiency is comparable to lithium-ion batteries. And even though the system is far from optimized, energy density is also comparable to lithium ion, the team said. The researchers built a small, 1.2 volt battery, so the next step is to scale it up and improve efficiency. "Future work will now focus on further improving performance and energy density through use of atomically-thin layered carbon-based materials such as graphene, with the target of a proton battery that is truly competitive with lithium ion batteries firmly in sight," said lead researcher Professor John Andrews. https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/09/proton-battery-carbon-water-no-lithium/?utm_source=spotim&utm_medium=spotim_recirculation&spotim_referrer=recirculation