Development of an efficient future energy storage system incorporating fluidized bed of micro-particles:English

Abstract

This project focuses on the development of efficient energy storage systems by addressing problems commonly encountered in zinc bromide flow batteries. For example, the kinetics of charge, a discharge onto plane electrodes, can be slow, affecting the ability of such a cell to restitute energy quickly to an external load; zinc deposition is also prone to the formation of dendrites, which can become detached from the electrode substrate and reduce the storage capacity of the battery, while those dendrites can also be responsible for damage to the membrane, separating the anolyte and the catholyte. The project also incorporates both theoretical modelling and simulation two using different software packages (ANSYS and COMSOL). In this project, we design a novel fluidized bed electrode for the zinc-bromine (ZnBr2) flow battery, particularly concentrating on its anode. This is achieved by 1. Simulating electrolyte flow to identify reactor shapes and flow parameters that allow large electrolyte volumes to be processed and to support the fluidization of particles. 2. Fabricating an experimental rig from the identified geometry. 3. Carrying out extensive electrochemical testing (cyclic voltammetry, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, chronopotentiometry) to validate the model. The key component of the design is its use of a fluidized bed electrode where particles support the transfer of electron within the cell and provide a locus for electrodeposition of the zinc, improving the kinetics of electron transfer during the charging and discharging cycle. The particles used in the fluidized bed reactor possess intrinsic chemical resistance to the solution components and abrasion.