A Single-Flow Battery with Multiphase Flow.
CHEMSUSCHEM 2021;
14:1068-1073. [PMID:
33225585 DOI:
10.1002/cssc.202002135]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Widespread adoption of redox flow batteries (RFBs) for renewable energy storage is inhibited by a relatively high cost of storage. This is due largely to typical RFBs requiring two flows, two external tanks, and expensive ion-exchange membranes. Here, we propose a potentially inexpensive Zn-Br2 RFB which is membraneless and requires only a single flow. The flow is an emulsion consisting of a continuous, Br2 -poor aqueous phase and a dispersed, Br2 -rich polybromide phase, pumped through the channel separating anode and cathode. With our prototype cell, we explore the effect of polybromide-phase volume fraction and Br2 concentration on cell performance and plating efficiencies. We demonstrate high discharge currents of up to 270 mA/cm2 , plating efficiencies up to 88 %, and dendriteless plating up to the highest Zn loading investigated of 250 mAh/cm2 . We provide mechanistic insights into cell behavior and elucidate paths towards unlocking ultra-low-cost single-flow RFBs with multiphase flow.
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