FLOW BATTERY HAVING A LOW RESISTANCE MEMBRANE

• US 20120202099A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Walker, Craig R., Perry, Michael L., Pandy, Arun, Zaffou, Rachid
• Application Number:
  US13/023,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202099A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0025 Organic electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0091 in the form of mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0094 in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/188 by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/20 Indirect fuel cells, e.g. fuel cells with redox couple being irreversible H01M8/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A flow battery includes a membrane having a thickness of less than approximately one hundred twenty five micrometers; and a solution having a reversible redox couple reactant, wherein the solution wets the membrane.

Claims

1. A flow battery, comprising:

a membrane having an area specific resistance of less than approximately four hundred twenty five milliohms-square centimeter across the membrane; and

a solution having a reversible redox couple reactant, wherein the solution wets the membrane.

2. The flow battery of claim 1, further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the membrane is operable to transfer ionic current between the first electrode and the second electrode at a current density greater than one hundred milliamps per square centimeter.

3. The flow battery of claim 1, wherein the membrane is configured as permeable to a non-redox couple reactant within the solution.

4. The flow battery of claim 1, wherein the membrane has a thickness of less than approximately one hundred twenty five micrometers.

5. The flow battery of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a composite of a first ion exchange material and a material different than the first ion exchange material.

6. The flow battery of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer has a first ion exchange material, and wherein the second layer has a material different than the first ion exchange material.

7. A flow battery, comprising:

a membrane having a thickness of less than approximately one hundred twenty five micrometers; and

a solution having a reversible redox couple reactant, wherein the solution wets the membrane.

8. The flow battery of claim 7, further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the membrane is operable to transfer ionic current between the first electrode and the second electrode at a current density greater than one hundred milliamps per square centimeter.

9. The flow battery of claim 7, wherein the membrane is configured as permeable to a non-redox couple reactant within the solution.

10. The flow battery of claim 7, wherein the membrane has an area specific resistance of less than approximately four hundred twenty five milliohms-square centimeter across the membrane.

11. The flow battery of claim 7, wherein the membrane comprises a composite of a first ion exchange material and a material different than the first ion exchange material.

12. The flow battery of claim 10, wherein the membrane comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer has an ion exchange material, and wherein the second layer has a material different than the ion exchange material.

13. A flow battery, comprising:

a membrane having an ion exchange material and a matrix; and

a solution having a reversible redox couple reactant, wherein the solution wets the membrane.

14. The flow battery of claim 13, wherein the matrix comprises a nonconductive fibrous material.

15. The flow battery of claim 14, wherein the nonconductive fibrous material comprises one of fiber glass, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers, and a porous sheet of polytetrafluoroethylene.

16. The flow battery of claim 13, wherein the ion exchange material is a binder that is impregnated into the matrix.

17. The flow battery of claim 13, wherein the ion exchange material comprises one of a perfluorosulfonic acid and a perfluoroalkyl sulfonimide ionomer.

18. The flow battery of claim 13, wherein the membrane has at least one of:

a thickness of less than approximately one hundred twenty five micrometers; and

an area specific resistance of less than approximately four hundred twenty five milliohms-square centimeter across the membrane.

19. A flow battery, comprising:

a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer has an ion exchange material, and wherein the second layer has a material different than the ion exchange material; and

a solution having a reversible redox couple reactant, wherein the solution wets the membrane.

20. The flow battery of claim 19, wherein the material in the second layer that is different than the ion exchange material in the first layer comprises a matrix of nonconductive fibrous material.

21. The flow battery of claim 20, wherein the matrix is impregnated with an ion exchange binder.

22. The flow battery of claim 19, wherein the material in the second layer that is different than the ion exchange material in the first layer comprises a hydrophobic porous material.

23. The flow battery of claim 19, wherein the ion exchange material in the first layer comprises one type of ionomer and the second layer comprises a second type of ionomer.

24. The flow battery of claim 19, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and a third layer, and wherein the third layer has a second ion exchange material.

25. The flow battery of claim 19, wherein the membrane has at least one of:

a thickness of less than approximately one hundred twenty five micrometers; and

an area specific resistance of less than approximately four hundred twenty five milliohms-square centimeter across the membrane.