EFRI-RESTOR: Regenerative Hydrogen-Bromine Fuel Cell System for Energy Storage

包括风能和太阳能在内的可再生能源可以为美国提供大量电能；然而，由于它们的间歇性，只有在提供合适的储能系统的情况下，才能充分利用这两种能源的潜力。考虑到该应用对能量容量、效率和成本的要求，溴氢燃料电池已被确定为最合适的电能存储系统。该系统具有反应速度快、储能容量大、可靠性高等优点。这种潜力得到了试图开发商业系统的工业团队的认可；然而，在不稳定的电极支撑上使用昂贵的pt基催化剂，高成本、耐用和高性能的膜，以及非最佳的电池配置，使得这些燃料电池无法以所需的容量广泛部署，从而对美国的能源需求产生影响。该项目的目标是产生可行的科学和创造所需的工程技术，以开发可再生氢溴燃料电池系统，使其成为具有成本效益、效率高、可靠的可再生能源大规模储能系统。已经确定了四个主要重点领域：设计和合成具有高反应活性和选择性的低成本和耐用的氢和溴反应电催化剂；氢溴酸操作用高选择性耐用质子导电膜的研制电极微结构和电池设计的发展，最大限度地减少传输效应和最大限度地提高转换效率；识别最适合与电网集成的系统配置和操作。就更广泛的影响而言，提供经济技术以促进从化石燃料向可持续能源的过渡是21世纪的一项重大挑战。生产丰富、廉价、清洁、可靠的可再生能源是关键，寻找和商业化这些能源将是下一个伟大的全球产业。从该项目中获得的发现、见解和知识将对其他电化学电力系统产生影响，并可能在电动汽车和住宅/商业电力等领域找到应用。这个项目的教育和推广部分将有助于培养新一代多样化的工程师和研究人员，他们将在这项技术的发展和新能源工业的创建中发挥重要作用。该项目的成果将有助于电催化、聚合物科学、电极设计、纳米制造和大规模储能与电网集成等领域的基础性进步。支持该项目的2010财年eri - seed课题由美国国家科学基金会（NSF）工程（ENG）、数学与物理科学（MPS）、社会、行为与经济科学（SBE）、计算机与信息科学与工程理事会与美国能源部（DOE）和美国环境保护署（EPA）合作赞助。

Renewable energy sources including wind and solar can supply a significant amount of electrical energy in the US; however, because of their intermittent nature, the potential of these two energy sources can be fully exploited only if a suitable energy storage system is provided. Considering the requirements of energy capacity, efficiency and cost of this application, the hydrogen-bromine fuel cell has been identified as the most suitable electrical energy storage system. This system has many advantages among which are extremely fast reaction kinetics, high energy storage capacity, and high reliability. The potential was recognized by industrial teams which attempted to develop commercial systems; however, the use of expensive Pt-based catalysts on unstable electrode supports, the high cost, durable and high-performance membranes, and non-optimal cell configurations did not allow for widespread deployment of these fuel cells at the capacities required to have an impact on US energy requirements. The goal of this project is to generate the enabling science and create the engineering technologies needed to develop the regenerative hydrogen-bromine fuel cell system into a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable large-scale energy storage system for renewable energy sources. Four main focus areas have been identified: the design and synthesis of low-cost and durable eletrocatalysts with high reactivity and selectivity for the hydrogen and bromine reactions; the development of highly selective and durable proton conducting membranes for hydrobromic acid operation; the development of electrode microstructures and cell designs that minimize transport effects and maximize conversion efficiency; identification of system configurations and operation that are optimal for integration to the electrical grid. In terms of broader impacts, providing economical technologies to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources is a grand challenge of the 21st century. Production of abundant, cheap, clean, reliable, renewable energy is the key, and the search for and commercialization of these energy sources will be the next great global industry. The discoveries, insights, and knowledge gained from this project will have impacts on other electrochemical power systems and may find applications in areas such as electric vehicles and residential/commercial power. The educational and outreach component of this project will help create a new diverse generation of engineers and researchers who will play a major role in development of this technology and the creation of a new energy industry. The outcome of this project will contribute to fundamental advances in electrocatalysis, polymer science, electrode design, nano-manufacturing and integration of large-scale energy storage to the electrical grid.The FY 2010 EFRI-SEED Topic that supports this project was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorates for Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Computer & Information Science and Engineering in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).