A new type of vanadium flow battery stack has been developed by a team of Chinese scientists, which could revolutionize the field of large-scale energy storage.
Vanadium flow batteries
Vanadium flow batteries are a promising technology for storing renewable energy, as they have long lifespans, high safety, and scalability. However, they also have a high initial cost, which limits their widespread adoption.
The key component of a vanadium flow battery is the stack, which consists of a series of cells that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. The cost of the stack is largely determined by its power density, which is the ratio of power output to stack volume. The higher the power density, the smaller and cheaper the stack.
More than twice the power
To achieve a high power density, the researchers from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) designed a 70 kW-level stack, which is more than twice as powerful as the current 30 kW-level stack. They used self-developed materials, such as weldable porous composite membranes and weldable highly conductive bipolar plates, to create a stack with a short flow path, an ultra-thin battery structure, low flow resistance, and high distribution uniformity flow channels.
The result is a stack with a volume power density of 130 kW/m3, and a cost reduction of 40%. The stack also has a high energy efficiency of over 80% under different power conditions, and a stable performance after more than 1,200 cycles, with only 1.7% energy efficiency decay.
Scalability
The researchers claim that their stack can enable a 20-foot container energy storage unit module to double its power from 250 kW to 500 kW, without significantly increasing the size of power units and the cost of system-supporting facilities.
“This 70 kW-level stack can promote the commercialization of vanadium flow batteries. We believe that the development of this stack will improve the integration of power units in energy,” said Prof. Li Xianfeng, the leader of the research team.
Vanadium flow batteries are a promising technology for efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions, and the development of a 70kW-level high-power density battery stack is a significant step toward commercialization. Although further research and development are needed to optimize performance and reduce costs, each breakthrough brings us closer to unlocking the full potential of this technology.
Recently, a Chinese startup named Betavolt has created a nuclear battery that is about the size of a coin and can produce electricity for 50 years without needing to be charged. The company claims that this is the world's first nuclear battery to successfully miniaturize atomic energy, fitting 63 nuclear isotopes into a tiny module. As Betavolt moves from development to the pilot stage and prepares for full-scale production, it seems poised to make a grand entrance into the market soon.
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Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article