Indirect fuel cell based on a redox-flow battery with a new design to avoid crossover

Abstract

A new design of a redox flow battery (RFB), which is composed of two subcells separated by a gas phase of hydrogen, is proposed to eliminate the crossover of ionic species between the anolyte and catholyte. This idea not only increases the possible combinations of the two electrolytes, but also opens up the prospect of a revival of the old idea of an indirect fuel cell, which is composed of an RFB and two chemical reactors to regenerate the electrolytes using a fuel and oxygen. This paper describes the operation of a subcell as a component of an indirect fuel cell system. In the cycling test, oxidation/reduction of the electroactive species in each electrolyte were repeated with a hydrogen electrode as the counter electrode. This result demonstrates the possibility of this newly proposed RFB without crossover. In the operation of the subcell with a chemical reactor, a molecular catalyst (a rhodium porphyrin) was dissolved in the anolyte, and then a fuel was bubbled in the anolyte reservoir. As the electroactive species was reduced by the fuel, a steady-state oxidation current was observed at the cell. This demonstrates the negative half of the newly proposed indirect fuel cell.