This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on incorporating high concentration organic electrolytes for redox flow batteries (RFBs) into functional, high-voltage, stationary batteries. RFB have advantages for electrical grid-scale energy storage options, including peak leveling and frequency regulation, which would reduce overall energy consumption when linked with an electrical grid. RFBs are inherently well-suited for large applications such as these because they scale more cost effectively (power and energy capacities are decoupled) than most battery technologies.
This project investigates non-aqueous RFBs containing organic electro-active species. This proposed type of RFB has the following unique features relative to other RFB designs: higher operating voltages, non-corrosive electrolytes, smaller size, and use of scalable organic active materials (more environmentally friendly and potentially lower cost). The potential customer benefit would stem from more affordable options for stationary energy storage, enabling a greater reliance on renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and improving energy efficiency of the electric grid, which together can reduce the anthropogenic generation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel combustion.
Under this project, a prototype full-cell RFB with high concentrations of promising organic electro-active materials will be built and tested. To date, the lack of a demonstration of a high-concentration full cell has prevented an analysis of the performance and identification of the potential advantages and limitations of electro-active organic compounds. Moreover, performance-limiting factors associated with cell design or component failure are difficult to distinguish for active material decay. Full cell testing, at near practical conditions, is required to complete a thorough performance assessment. This project will address these knowledge gaps and complete the analytical suite through the following tasks: effective synthesis of electro-active organic materials will be performed at the requisite scale and purity for use in electrochemical systems, membranes will be screened and selected, a prototype will be fabricated, then high-concentration testing will be performed in a full cell prototype.
In addition to the technical plans described, the postdoctoral researcher supported by this program will receive innovation and entrepreneurship experiences through accelerator programs at the University of Kentucky, such as the Entrepreneurs Bootcamp. The postdoctoral researcher will also be guided in customer interviews and continue work on defining key value propositions towards the creation of a commercial product. In addition, the project partners with MIT, and the MIT student on the project will work with the UK postdoctoral researcher and both will spend time at Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory for further training in flow cell design and characterization.
The project engages United Technologies Research Center to provide additional testing assessments and to guide commercialization aspects in this technology translation effort from research discovery toward commercial reality.
