PFI:AIR - TT: A Non-Aqueous Redox Flow Battery Prototype

该PFI: AIR技术翻译项目专注于将用于氧化还原液流电池（rfb）的高浓度有机电解质整合到功能性高压固定电池中。RFB在电网规模的储能选择方面具有优势，包括峰值调平和频率调节，当与电网连接时，这将降低总体能耗。rfb本质上非常适合此类大型应用，因为它们比大多数电池技术更具成本效益（功率和能量容量解耦）。本项目研究含有机电活性物质的非水rfb。与其他RFB设计相比，该RFB具有以下独特特征：更高的工作电压，无腐蚀性电解质，更小的尺寸，以及使用可扩展的有机活性材料（更环保，潜在成本更低）。潜在的客户利益将来自更实惠的固定能源存储选择，使更多地依赖可再生能源，如太阳能和风能，提高电网的能源效率，这些都可以减少化石燃料燃烧产生的人为二氧化碳（CO2）。在该项目下，将建造并测试一个具有高浓度有机电活性材料的全电池RFB原型。迄今为止，由于缺乏高浓度全电池的演示，因此无法对电活性有机化合物的性能进行分析，也无法确定其潜在的优势和局限性。此外，与电池设计或组件失效相关的性能限制因素很难区分活性物质衰变。需要在接近实际的条件下进行全电池测试，以完成彻底的性能评估。该项目将解决这些知识空白，并通过以下任务完成分析套件：电活性有机材料的有效合成将在必要的规模和纯度下进行，用于电化学系统，膜将被筛选和选择，原型将被制造，然后将在一个完整的电池原型中进行高浓度测试。除了上述技术计划外，该项目支持的博士后研究员还将通过肯塔基大学的加速器项目（如企业家训练营）获得创新和创业经验。博士后研究员还将在客户访谈中得到指导，并继续致力于定义商业产品创造的关键价值主张。此外，该项目与麻省理工学院合作，麻省理工学院的学生将与英国博士后研究员合作，两人都将在阿贡国家实验室和橡树岭国家实验室接受进一步的流动池设计和表征培训。该项目与联合技术研究中心合作，提供额外的测试评估，并指导这项技术从研究发现到商业现实的商业化方面的工作。

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.