Progress in redox flow batteries, remaining challenges and their applications in energy storage
TL;DR: A comprehensive review of the overall development of redox flow battery technology, including proposed chemistries, cell components and recent applications is provided in this paper, where the authors highlight the challenges and directions for further research.
Abstract: Redox flow batteries, which have been developed over the last 40 years, are used to store energy on the medium to large scale, particularly in applications such as load levelling, power quality control and facilitating renewable energy deployment. Various electrode materials and cell chemistries have been proposed; some of the successful systems have been demonstrated on a large-scale in the range of 10 kW–10 MW. Enhanced performance is attributable to the improvements in electrodes, separator materials and an increasing awareness of cell design. This comprehensive review provides a summary of the overall development of redox flow battery technology, including proposed chemistries, cell components and recent applications. Remaining challenges and directions for further research are highlighted.
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TL;DR: A comprehensive and clear picture of the state-of-the-art technologies available, and where they would be suited for integration into a power generation and distribution system is provided in this article.
2,790 citations
Cites background from "Progress in redox flow batteries, r..."
...Selected vanadium redox flow battery energy storage facilities [67,105,107,110,111]....
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...Although VRBs now tends to expand their range of applications by enhancing the physical scale, there are some technical challenges that need to be solved, for instance, low electrolyte stability and solubility leading to low quality of energy density [107,108]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the existing literature in the analysis of life cycle costs of utility-scale electricity storage systems, providing an updated database for the cost elements (capital costs, operational and maintenance costs, and replacement costs).
Abstract: Large-scale deployment of intermittent renewable energy (namely wind energy and solar PV) may entail new challenges in power systems and more volatility in power prices in liberalized electricity markets. Energy storage can diminish this imbalance, relieving the grid congestion, and promoting distributed generation. The economic implications of grid-scale electrical energy storage technologies are however obscure for the experts, power grid operators, regulators, and power producers. A meticulous techno-economic or cost-benefit analysis of electricity storage systems requires consistent, updated cost data and a holistic cost analysis framework. To this end, this study critically examines the existing literature in the analysis of life cycle costs of utility-scale electricity storage systems, providing an updated database for the cost elements (capital costs, operational and maintenance costs, and replacement costs). Moreover, life cycle costs and levelized cost of electricity delivered by electrical energy storage is analyzed, employing Monte Carlo method to consider uncertainties. The examined energy storage technologies include pumped hydropower storage, compressed air energy storage (CAES), flywheel, electrochemical batteries (e.g. lead–acid, NaS, Li-ion, and Ni–Cd), flow batteries (e.g. vanadium-redox), superconducting magnetic energy storage, supercapacitors, and hydrogen energy storage (power to gas technologies). The results illustrate the economy of different storage systems for three main applications: bulk energy storage, T&D support services, and frequency regulation.
1,279 citations
TL;DR: This work describes a class of energy storage materials that exploits the favourable chemical and electrochemical properties of a family of molecules known as quinones, and demonstrates a metal-free flow battery based on the redox chemistry of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid.
Abstract: Flow batteries, in which the electro-active components are held in fluid form external to the battery itself, are attractive as a potential means for regulating the output of intermittent renewable sources of electricity; an aqueous flow battery based on inexpensive commodity chemicals is now reported that also has the virtue of enabling further improvement of battery performance through organic chemical design. Flow batteries differ from the conventional type in that the electro-active components of flow batteries are held in fluid form external to the battery itself, enabling such systems to store arbitrarily large amounts of energy. Flow batteries are therefore attractive as a potential means for regulating the output of intermittent sources of electricity such as wind or solar power. But an important limitation of most such systems is the abundance and cost of the electro-active materials. To overcome this limitation, Brian Huskinson and colleagues have developed an aqueous flow battery on the basis of inexpensive, non-metallic commodity chemicals, with the added advantage of enabling the tuning of key battery properties through chemical design. As the fraction of electricity generation from intermittent renewable sources—such as solar or wind—grows, the ability to store large amounts of electrical energy is of increasing importance. Solid-electrode batteries maintain discharge at peak power for far too short a time to fully regulate wind or solar power output1,2. In contrast, flow batteries can independently scale the power (electrode area) and energy (arbitrarily large storage volume) components of the system by maintaining all of the electro-active species in fluid form3,4,5. Wide-scale utilization of flow batteries is, however, limited by the abundance and cost of these materials, particularly those using redox-active metals and precious-metal electrocatalysts6,7. Here we describe a class of energy storage materials that exploits the favourable chemical and electrochemical properties of a family of molecules known as quinones. The example we demonstrate is a metal-free flow battery based on the redox chemistry of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid (AQDS). AQDS undergoes extremely rapid and reversible two-electron two-proton reduction on a glassy carbon electrode in sulphuric acid. An aqueous flow battery with inexpensive carbon electrodes, combining the quinone/hydroquinone couple with the Br2/Br− redox couple, yields a peak galvanic power density exceeding 0.6 W cm−2 at 1.3 A cm−2. Cycling of this quinone–bromide flow battery showed >99 per cent storage capacity retention per cycle. The organic anthraquinone species can be synthesized from inexpensive commodity chemicals8. This organic approach permits tuning of important properties such as the reduction potential and solubility by adding functional groups: for example, we demonstrate that the addition of two hydroxy groups to AQDS increases the open circuit potential of the cell by 11% and we describe a pathway for further increases in cell voltage. The use of π-aromatic redox-active organic molecules instead of redox-active metals represents a new and promising direction for realizing massive electrical energy storage at greatly reduced cost.
1,194 citations
TL;DR: An overview of energy storage systems as a whole, the metrics that are used to quantify the performance of electrodes, recent strategies that have been investigated to overcome the challenges associated with organic electrode materials, and the use of computational chemistry to design and study new materials and their properties are provided.
Abstract: Organic electrode materials are very attractive for electrochemical energy storage devices because they can be flexible, lightweight, low cost, benign to the environment, and used in a variety of device architectures. They are not mere alternatives to more traditional energy storage materials, rather, they have the potential to lead to disruptive technologies. Although organic electrode materials for energy storage have progressed in recent years, there are still significant challenges to overcome before reaching large-scale commercialization. This review provides an overview of energy storage systems as a whole, the metrics that are used to quantify the performance of electrodes, recent strategies that have been investigated to overcome the challenges associated with organic electrode materials, and the use of computational chemistry to design and study new materials and their properties. Design strategies are examined to overcome issues with capacity/capacitance, device voltage, rate capability, and cycling stability in order to guide future work in the area. The use of low cost materials is highlighted as a direction towards commercial realization.
753 citations
TL;DR: The polymer-based RFB presented uses an environmentally benign sodium chloride solution and cheap, commercially available filter membranes instead of highly corrosive acid electrolytes and expensive membrane materials, which has an energy density of 10 watt hours per litre, current densities of up to 100 milliamperes per square centimetre, and stable long-term cycling capability.
Abstract: For renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric to be effectively used in the grid of the future, flexible and scalable energy-storage solutions are necessary to mitigate output fluctuations. Redox-flow batteries (RFBs) were first built in the 1940s and are considered a promising large-scale energy-storage technology. A limited number of redox-active materials--mainly metal salts, corrosive halogens, and low-molar-mass organic compounds--have been investigated as active materials, and only a few membrane materials, such as Nafion, have been considered for RFBs. However, for systems that are intended for both domestic and large-scale use, safety and cost must be taken into account as well as energy density and capacity, particularly regarding long-term access to metal resources, which places limits on the lithium-ion-based and vanadium-based RFB development. Here we describe an affordable, safe, and scalable battery system, which uses organic polymers as the charge-storage material in combination with inexpensive dialysis membranes, which separate the anode and the cathode by the retention of the non-metallic, active (macro-molecular) species, and an aqueous sodium chloride solution as the electrolyte. This water- and polymer-based RFB has an energy density of 10 watt hours per litre, current densities of up to 100 milliamperes per square centimetre, and stable long-term cycling capability. The polymer-based RFB we present uses an environmentally benign sodium chloride solution and cheap, commercially available filter membranes instead of highly corrosive acid electrolytes and expensive membrane materials.
704 citations
References
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TL;DR: This review offers details of the technologies, in terms of needs, status, challenges and future R&d directions, that are expected to integrate significant levels of renewables into the electrical grid.
Abstract: The is a comprehensive review on the needs and potential storage technologies for electrical grid that is expected to integrate significant levels of renewables. This review offers details of the technologies, in terms of needs, status, challenges and future R&d directions.
4,096 citations
Book•
30 Aug 2001
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the principles of operation and reactions factors affecting battery performance standardization of battery design selection and application of batteries, as well as a discussion of the differences between primary and secondary batteries.
Abstract: Part 1 Principles of operation: basic concepts electrochemical principles and reactions factors affecting battery performance standardization of batteries battery design selection and application of batteries. Part 2 Primary batteries: zinc-carbon (Leclanche) cells magnesium and aluminium cells alkaline-manganese dioxide cells mercuric oxide cells silver oxide cells zinc/air cells lithium cells solid electrolyte batteries. Part 3 Reserve batteries: magnesium water-activated batteries spin-dependent reserve batteries liquid ammonia systems lithium anode reserve batteries thermal batteries. Part 4 Secondary batteries: lead acid batteries industrial nickel-cadmium batteries vented nickel-cadmium batteries sealed nickel-cadmium batteries nickel-zinc batteries iron electrode batteries silver-oxide batteries nickel-hydrogen batteries nickel-metal hydride batteries rechargeable alkaline-manganese dioxide batteries. Part 5 Advanced battery systems: ambient temperature lithium batteries zinc/bromine batteries metal/air batteries lithium/iron sulphide batteries sodium beta batteries.
2,185 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the components of RFBs with a focus on understanding the underlying physical processes are examined and various transport and kinetic phenomena are discussed along with the most common redox couples.
Abstract: Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are enjoying a renaissance due to their ability to store large amounts of electrical energy relatively cheaply and efficiently. In this review, we examine the components of RFBs with a focus on understanding the underlying physical processes. The various transport and kinetic phenomena are discussed along with the most common redox couples.
1,661 citations
TL;DR: Of the flow battery technologies that have been investigated, the all-vanadium redox flow battery has received the most attention and has shown most promise in various pre-commercial to commercial stationary applications to date, while new developments in hybrid redox fuel cells are promising to lead the way for future applications in mechanically and electrically "refuelable" electric vehicles.
Abstract: The past few decades have shown a rapid and continuous exhaustion of the available energy resources which may lead to serious energy global crises. Researchers have been focusing on developing new and renewable energy resources to meet the increasing fuel demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A surge of research effort is also being directed towards replacing fossil fuel based vehicles with hybrid and electric alternatives. Energy storage is now seen as a critical element in future "smart grid and electric vehicle" applications. Electrochemical energy storage systems offer the best combination of efficiency, cost and flexibility, with redox flow battery systems currently leading the way in this aspect. In this work, a panoramic overview is presented for the various redox flow battery systems and their hybrid alternatives. Relevant published work is reported and critically discussed. A comprehensive study of the available technologies is conducted in terms of technical aspects as well as economic and environmental consequences. Some of the flow battery limitations and technical challenges are also discussed and a range of further research opportunities are presented. Of the flow battery technologies that have been investigated, the all-vanadium redox flow battery has received the most attention and has shown most promise in various pre-commercial to commercial stationary applications to date, while new developments in hybrid redox fuel cells are promising to lead the way for future applications in mechanically and electrically "refuelable" electric vehicles.
1,248 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared redox flow systems in the light of characteristics such as open circuit potential, power density, energy efficiency, and charge-discharge behavior, and highlighted areas for further research.
1,054 citations