Hydrogen-Chlorate Electric Power Source: Feasibility of the Device, Discharge Characteristics and Modes of Operation

A power source based on the current-generating reaction of aqueous chlorate-to-chloride reduction by molecular hydrogen would provide as much as 1150 Wh per 1 L of reagent storage (for a combination of 700 atm compressed hydrogen and saturated aqueous solution of lithium chlorate) at room temperature, but direct electroreduction of chlorate only proceeds with unacceptably high overvoltages, even for the most catalytically active electrodes. In the present study, we experimentally demonstrated that this process can be performed via redox-mediator catalysis by intermediate products of chlorate reduction, owing to their participation in homogeneous com- and disproportionation reactions. A series of current–voltage and discharge characteristics were measured for hydrogen-chlorate membrane–electrode assembly (MEA) cells at various concentrations of chlorate and sulfuric acid under operando spectrophotometric monitoring of the electrolyte composition during the discharge. We established that chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is the key intermediate product; its fraction in the electrolyte solution increases progressively, up to its maximum, equal to 0.4–0.6 of the initial amount of chlorate anions, whereas the ClO2 amount decreases gradually to a zero value in the later stage. In most discharge experiments, the Faradaic yield exceeded 90% (maximal value: 99%), providing approximately 48% chemical energy storage-to-electricity conversion efficiency at maximal power of the discharge (max value: 402 mW/cm2). These results support prospect of a hydrogen-chlorate flow current generator as a highly specific energy-capacity source for airless media

Current Distribution in the Discharge Unit of a 10-Cell Vanadium Redox Flow Battery: Comparison of the Computational Model with Experiment

Shunting currents are among the main problems of all-vanadium redox flow battery stacks since, in addition to capacity losses, they cause negative effects associated with the local destruction of electrodes and bipolar plates. The values of both the shunting currents and their destructive effects on materials can be reduced at the battery development stage by adjusting the resistance of the electrolyte supply channels. The solution to this problem can be found using a calculation model for current distribution based on the current balance in the nodes as well as voltage drops and electromotive force in internal circuits according to Kirchhoff’s laws. This paper presents the verification of the model of current distribution in an all-vanadium redox flow battery stack of an original design that allows for the determination of membrane-electrode assembly resistances and electrolyte supply channels via direct measurements. Based on a comparison of the calculated and experimental values of the coulombic efficiency of charge–discharge cycles, the capacity fade associated with the crossover of vanadium compounds through the membrane has been determined

Halogen Hybrid Flow Batteries Advances for Stationary Chemical Power Sources Technologies

This review aims to highlight the current advances in hybrid redox flow battery (HRFB) technology, encompassing one of the best combinations of efficiency, cost and flexibility due to its module construction, which offers independent scaling of power density and energy capacity. This work emphasizes the interest of the scientific community both in (i) studying the properties and principles of HRFB operation in order to improve commonly proposed systems, and in (ii) the development of energy storage devices with new reagent types or RFB concepts. The data provided enhances the reader to conclude whether novel concepts in halogen oxidizers utilization could help to overcome the problem of insufficient power and energy densities of common RFB

A Hydrogen-Bromate Flow Battery as a Rechargeable Chemical Power Source

The hydrogen-bromate flow battery represents one of the promising variants for hybrid power sources. Its membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) combines a hydrogen gas diffusion anode and a porous flow-through cathode where bromate reduction takes place from its acidized aqueous solution: BrO3− + 6 H+ + 6 e− = Br− + 3 H2O (*). The process of electric current generation occurs on the basis of the overall reaction: 3 H2 + BrO3− = Br− + 3 H2O (**), which has been studied in previous publications. Until this work, it has been unknown whether this device is able to function as a rechargeable power source. This means that the bromide anion, Br−, should be electrooxidized into the bromate anion, BrO3−, in the course of the charging stage inside the same cell under strongly acidic conditions, while until now this process has only been carried out in neutral or alkaline solutions with specially designed anode materials. In this study, we have demonstrated that processes (*) and (**) can be performed in a cyclic manner, i.e., as a series of charge and discharge stages with the use of MEA: H2, Freidenberg H23C8 Pt-C/GP-IEM 103/Sigracet 39AA, HBr + H2SO4; square cross-section of 4 cm2 surface area, under an alternating galvanostatic mode at a current density of 75 mA/cm2. The coulombic, voltaic and energy efficiencies of the flow battery under a cyclic regime, as well as the absorption spectra of the catholyte, were measured during its operation. The total amount of Br-containing compounds penetrating through the membrane into the anode space was also determined

Progress of organic, inorganic redox flow battery and mechanism of electrode reaction

With the deployment of renewable energy and the increasing demand for power grid modernization, redox flow battery has attracted a lot of research interest in recent years. Among the available energy storage technologies, the redox flow battery is considered the most promising candidate battery due to its unlimited capacity, design flexibility, and safety. In this review, we summarize the latest progress and improvement strategies of common inorganic redox flow batteries, such as vanadium redox flow batteries, iron-chromium redox flow batteries, and zinc-based redox flow batteries, including electrolyte, membrane, electrode, structure design, etc. In addition, we introduce the latest progress in aqueous and nonaqueous organic redox flow batteries. We also focus on the modification mechanism, optimization design, improvement strategy, and modeling method of the redox flow battery reaction. Finally, this review presents a brief summary, challenges, and perspectives of the redox flow battery.</p