Metal/air flow battery

摘要

In one embodiment, a battery system includes a negative electrode, a separator adjacent to the negative electrode, a positive electrode separated from the negative electrode by the separator, the positive electrode including an electrode inlet and an electrode outlet, an electrolyte including about 5 molar LiOH located within the positive electrode, and a first pump having a first pump inlet in fluid communication with the electrode outlet and a first pump outlet in fluid communication with the electrode inlet and controlled such that the first pump receives the electrolyte from the electrode outlet and discharges the electrolyte to the electrode inlet during both charge and discharge of the battery system.

主权项

1. A battery system, comprising:
a negative electrode; a separator adjacent to the negative electrode; a positive electrode separated from the negative electrode by the separator, the positive electrode including an electrode inlet and an electrode outlet; an electrolyte including LiOH located within the positive electrode; a reservoir having a reservoir inlet configured to receive the electrolyte from the positive electrode, a first reservoir outlet, and a second reservoir outlet, the second reservoir outlet located lower than the first reservoir outlet such that an unattached solid proximate the first reservoir outlet is forced by gravity toward the second reservoir outlet; a first pump having a first pump inlet configured to take a suction on the first reservoir outlet and discharge a first effluent through a first pump outlet to the electrode inlet and controlled such that the first pump receives the electrolyte from the reservoir inlet and discharges the first effluent to the electrode inlet during both charge and discharge of the battery system; and a second pump having a second pump inlet configured to take a suction on the second reservoir outlet and a second pump outlet configured to discharge a second effluent to the electrode inlet, the system controlled such that the first effluent is not mixed with the second effluent during discharging of the battery system, and such that the first effluent is mixed with the second effluent during charging discharging of the battery system.