Electrode structure including electrode fiber having higher density of vertical tows to parallel tows, flow battery stack including the same, and sealing structure including sealing gaskets connected by sealing wire
11735747 · 2023-08-22
Assignee
Inventors
- Shenglin Liu (Dalian, CN)
- Hongdong Jiang (Dalian, CN)
- Huamin ZHANG (Dalian, CN)
- Xiangkun MA (Dalian, CN)
- Tao ZHANG (Dalian, CN)
- Shan Jiang (Dalian, CN)
- Zhenkun Yang (Dalian, CN)
- Dan Sun (Dalian, CN)
- Kuanrong Yi (Dalian, CN)
Cpc classification
Y02E60/10
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y02E60/50
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
H01M2004/021
ELECTRICITY
H01M8/0273
ELECTRICITY
H01M8/188
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H01M8/0273
ELECTRICITY
H01M8/18
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
An electrode structure of a flow battery. A density of the vertical tow in the electrode fiber is larger than the density of the parallel tow. In the electrode fiber per unit volume, the quantity ratio of the vertical tow to the parallel tow is at least 6:4. The electrode structure includes an odd number of layers of the electrode fibers, and the porosity of other layers is larger than that of the center layer. The electrode structure includes the vertical tows, so that, the contact area between the outer surface of the electrode and the adjacent component is increased and the contact resistance is reduced; the electrode has good mechanical properties; the contact resistance of such structure is reduced by 30%-50%; and the layers of the electrode have different thickness depending on the porosity. After compression, the layers with optimized thickness have a consistent porosity.
Claims
1. A flow battery stack, characterized in that, the flow battery stack is assembled by using an electrode structure, and after being compressed and assembled under a stack preload of 0.1-0.25 MPa, a porosity of an electrode fiber of each layer in the stack is compressed to 91-92%, wherein a surface structure on both sides of the electrode structure is a spinous or needlelike structure, and a height of the spinous or needlelike structure is in an undulation form, and the surface of the electrode structure is formed by entanglement of needle-like structure tows whose ends are perpendicular to the electrode surface, and a diameter of the needle-like structure tows is 12-18 μm.
2. The flow battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, a difference between the porosity of the electrode fiber of each layer in the stack is less than 3%.
3. The flow battery stack according to claim 1, characterized in that, a total thickness of the electrode structure is 3-6 mm, a layer thickness of multilayers of the electrode structure gradually decreases from a plate side and a membrane side to an intermediate layer of the electrode structure, and a thickness ratio of other layers to a center layer of the electrode structure is not less than 1.5:1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5) wherein: 1. The bipolar plate-side fiber layer; 2. The center fiber layer; 3. The ion membrane-side fiber layer; 4. The fiber layer between the bipolar plate-side fiber layer 1 and the center fiber layer 2; 5. The fiber layer between the center fiber layer 2 and the ion membrane-side fiber layer 3; 6. The ion membrane or bipolar plate.
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11) Wherein: 2-1. Electrode frame; 2-11. Wire sealing groove; 2-12. Gasket sealing groove; 2-121. The non-contact area of the gasket sealing groove and the wire sealing groove; 2-2. Sealing rubber; 2-21. Sealing wire; 2-22. Sealing gasket; 2-221. The connection area of the gasket sealing groove and the wire sealing groove; 2-222. Compressive deformed structure; 2-223. Annular convex structure; 2-224. Sealing gasket positioning structure; 2-3. Diaphragm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(12) The following non-limiting examples are provided to enable one of ordinary skilled in the art to understand the present invention more thoroughly, but not to limit the present invention in any respect.
Example 1
(13) As shown in
(14) Comparative Example 1: the electrode has the same apparent size as in Example 1, and the structure thereof is a conventional structure (no multiple fiber layers, no spinous protrusion on the surface, and a porosity of 92%). Such electrode is used to assemble the same 5W single cell as in Example 1, wherein the porosity of the compressed electrode is 91%. The electrical performance test is conducted and the relative parameters are recorded, and the test data is given in Table 1.
(15) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm.sup.2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 1 5.5 87.5 fiber layers 1 and 3: 35 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 22.5 each fiber layer is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 6 86 20 91 Example 1
Example 2
(16) As shown in
(17) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm.sup.2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 2 8.0 85.3 fiber layers 1 and 3: 30 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 20 each fiber layer fiber layers 4 and 5: 25 is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 8.4 82.4 25 91 example 2
Example 3
(18) As shown in
(19) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm.sup.2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 3 5.8 87.2 fiber layers 1 and 3: 35 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 25 each fiber layer fiber layers 4 and 5: 27.5 is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 6.2 85.7 20 91 Example 3
Example 4
(20) An electrode structure comprises five layers of electrode fibers, which are an electrode fiber layer 1 near the bipolar plate side, an electrode fiber layer 2 located at a center and an electrode fiber layer 3 near the ion membrane side, an electrode fiber layer 4 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 2, and an electrode fiber layer 5 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 2 and the electrode fiber layer 3. Wherein the raw materials of the electrode fiber layer 1, electrode fiber layer 2, electrode fiber layer 3, electrode fiber layer 4 and electrode fiber layer 5 are polyacrylonitrile-based material, a density ratio of the vertical tow to the parallel tow is 6:4, and a diameter of the vertical tow is 15 μm. The structure of the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 3 is as follows: a porosity of 94% and a thickness of 1.5 mm; the structure of the electrode fiber layer 4 and the electrode fiber layer 5 is as follows: a porosity of 93% and a thickness of 1 mm; and the electrode fiber layer 2 has a porosity of 92% and a thickness of 0.5 mm. When the electrode is in close contact with the bipolar plate with an overall porosity reaches 91%, the vertical resistivity thereof is recorded, then this electrode is assembled into a 5W single cell, and the overall porosity and the compression ratio of each layer after compression of the electrode are recorded, the data is given in Table 4. The single cell is charged and discharged in a constant current mode of 80 mA/cm.sup.2. The energy efficiency conversion of its stable cycles is recorded, and the test data is given in Table 4. Comparative Example 4: the electrode has the same apparent size as in Example 4, and the structure thereof is a conventional structure (no multiple fiber layers, no spinous protrusion on its surface, and a porosity of 93%). Such electrode is used to assemble the same 5W single cell as in Example 4, wherein the porosity after compression of the electrode is 91%. The electrical performance test is conducted and the relative parameters are recorded, and the test data is given in Table 4.
(21) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 4 7.4 85.8 fiber layers 1 and 3: 30 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 20 each fiber layer fiber layers 4 and 5: 25 is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 7.8 83.3 25 91 Example 4
Example 5
(22) An electrode structure comprises five layers of electrode fibers, which are an electrode fiber layer 1 near the bipolar plate side, an electrode fiber layer 2 located at a center and an electrode fiber layer 3 near an ion membrane side, an electrode fiber layer 4 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 2, and an electrode fiber layer 5 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 2 and the electrode fiber layer 3, wherein the raw materials of the electrode fiber layer 1, electrode fiber layer 2, electrode fiber layer 3, electrode fiber layer 4 and electrode fiber layer 5 are polyacrylonitrile-based material, a density ratio of the vertical tow to the parallel tow is 6:4, and a diameter of the vertical tow is 10 μm. Structures of the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 3 are as follows: a porosity of 96% and a thickness of 1.75 mm; structures of the electrode fiber layer 4 and the electrode fiber layer 5 are as follows: a porosity of 94% and a thickness of 1.25 mm; and the electrode fiber layer 2 has a porosity of 93% and a thickness of 0.75 mm. When the electrode is in close contact with the bipolar plate with an overall porosity reaches 91%, the vertical resistivity thereof is recorded, then this electrode is assembled into a 5W single cell, and the overall porosity and the compression ratio of each layer after compression of the electrode are recorded, the data is given in Table 5. The single cell is charged and discharged in a constant current mode of 80 mA/cm.sup.2. The energy efficiency conversion of its stable cycles is recorded, and the test data is given in Table 5.
(23) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 5 6.5 86.0 fiber layers 1 and 3: 40 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 25 each fiber layer fiber layers 4 and 5: 30 is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 6.8 84.8 25 91 example 5
(24) Comparative Example 5: the electrode has the same apparent size as in Example 5, and the structure thereof is a conventional structure (no multiple fiber layers, no spinous protrusion on its surface, and a porosity of 93%). Such electrode is used to assemble the same 5W single cell as in Example 5, wherein the porosity after compression of the electrode is 91%. The electrical performance test is conducted and the relative parameters are recorded, and the test data is given in Table 5.
Example 6
(25) An electrode structure comprises five layers of electrode fibers, which are an electrode fiber layer 1 near the bipolar plate side, an electrode fiber layer 2 located at a center and an electrode fiber layer 3 near the ion membrane side, an electrode fiber layer 4 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 2, and an electrode fiber layer 5 disposed between the electrode fiber layer 2 and the electrode fiber layer 3, wherein the raw materials of the electrode fiber layer 1, electrode fiber layer 2, electrode fiber layer 3, electrode fiber layer 4 and electrode fiber layer 5 are polyacrylonitrile-based material, a density ratio of the vertical tow to the parallel tow is 6:4, and a diameter of the vertical tow is 9 μm. Structures of the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 3 are as follows: a porosity of 95% and a thickness of 1.6 mm; structures of the electrode fiber layer 4 and the electrode fiber layer 5 are as follows: a porosity of 93% and a thickness of 1.5 mm; and the electrode fiber layer 2 has a porosity of 90% and a thickness of 1 mm. When the electrode is in close contact with the bipolar plate with an overall porosity reaches 91%, the vertical resistivity thereof is recorded, then this electrode is assembled into a 5W single cell, and the overall porosity and the compression ratio of each layer after compression of the electrode are recorded, the data is given in Table 6. The single cell is charged and discharged in a constant current mode of 80 mA/cm.sup.2. The energy efficiency conversion of its stable cycles is recorded, and the test data is given in Table 6.
(26) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 6 6.0 86.5 fiber layers 1 and 3: 35 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 10 each fiber layer fiber layers 4 and 5: 25 is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 6.6 85.1 20 91 example 6
(27) Comparative Example 6: the electrode has the same apparent size as in Example 6, and the structure thereof is a conventional structure (no multiple fiber layers, no spinous protrusion on its surface, and a porosity of 92%). Such electrode is used to assemble the same 5W single cell as in Example 6, wherein the porosity after compression the electrode is 91%. The electrical performance test is conducted and the relative parameters are recorded, and the test data is given in Table 6.
Example 7
(28) An electrode structure comprises three layers of electrode fibers, which are an electrode fiber layer 1 near the bipolar plate side, an electrode fiber layer 2 located at a center and an electrode fiber layer 3 near the ion membrane side, wherein the raw material of the electrode fiber layer 2 is rayon-based material, the raw materials of the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 3 are polyacrylonitrile-based material, a density ratio of the vertical tow to the parallel tow is 6:4, and a diameter of the vertical tow is 12 μm. Structures of the electrode fiber layer 1 and the electrode fiber layer 3 are as follows: a porosity of 93% and a thickness of 1.5 mm; and the electrode fiber layer 2 has a porosity of 91.5% and a thickness of 1 mm. When the electrode is in close contact with the bipolar plate with an overall porosity reaches 91%, the vertical resistivity thereof is recorded, then the electrode is assembled into a 5W single cell, and the overall porosity and the compression ratio of each layer after compression of the electrode are recorded, the data is given in Table 7. The single cell is charged and discharged in a constant current mode of 80 mA/cm.sup.2. The energy efficiency conversion of its stable cycles is recorded, and the test data is given in Table 7.
(29) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 ⊥Resistivity/ Energy Efficiency/ Compressive Deformed Compressed Item Ω .Math. mm %@80 mA/cm.sup.2 Amount/% Porosity/% Example 7 6.8 85.4 fiber layers 1 and 3: 25 the porosity of fiber layer 2: 20 each fiber layer is basically the same, all equal to 91 Comparative 7.2 84.2 25 91 example 7
(30) Comparative Example 7: the electrode has the same apparent size as in Example 7, and the structure thereof is a conventional structure (no multiple fiber layers, no spinous protrusion on its surface, and a porosity of 92%). Such electrode is used to assemble the same 5W single cell as in Example 7, wherein the porosity after compression of the electrode is 91%. The electrical performance test is conducted and the relative parameters are recorded, and the test data is given in Table 7.
Example 8
(31) The growing demand for traditional energy in modern economic and social development has made the problem of its insufficient supply increasingly concerned. People had to seek renewable energy source such as wind energy and solar energy. In recent years, the new energy as represented by the wind energy and the solar energy has occupied a place of energy supply, and its proportion has being constantly increasing as the demand increases. However, due to the weather, the contradiction between supply and demand caused by intermittent power generation is more prominent, it is imperative to develop large-scale energy storage technology.
(32) As a way of large-scale energy storage—the generation and development of the flow battery provide a good complement for the aforementioned deficiencies of the new energy sources. The flow battery has features of good safety, long service life, large power storage capacity, adjustable power and capacity separation, flexible location, clean and environmental protection, which ensures stable output of new energy such as the wind energy and the solar energy after storage adjustment, thereby playing an important role in achieving scaled power management, grid assist, voltage control and large uninterruptible power supplies.
(33) Since the single cell of the flow battery has small standard open circuit voltage, to meet the practical application, a certain number of single cells need to be assembled in series into a stack to obtain the required voltage. The stack structures of the stack impose high demands on its sealing. At present, the common sealing methods of the stack include stranded wire sealing, planar sealing, sheet surface sealing, adhesion, welding, groove matching, and the like. However, the above several sealing methods are simple, which cannot completely solve the problems of internal leakage and external leakage of the electrolyte in the stack.
(34) a. Although the cost of the stranded wire sealing is low, the sealing effect on the common flow hole of the electrolyte is not good, and the electrolyte is easily leaked to the outside of the stack;
(35) b. Although the sealing effect of the sheet surface sealing is slightly better, it has the problem of being expensive and unable to be used twice; and
(36) c. Adhesive, welding and groove matching modes have poor practicability due to a series of problems that these modes are incapable of disassembly and secondary use after the single cell of the stack is damaged, and the positive electrode frame and the negative electrode frame are not precisely matched.
(37) In addition, the researchers found that if there is no separate insulation treatment on the common flow channel hole of the diaphragm electrolyte, after long-term use of the stack, an internal leakage of the electrolyte may occur at the common flow channel hole of the diaphragm electrolyte, and the diaphragm as the conductive medium may result in leakage inside the stack, thereby causing chemical and electrochemical corrosion to occur in the common flow channel hole of the electrolyte of the diaphragm, to generate precipitates or crystals of the active materials, causing the positive and negative electrolytes to cross each other on both sides of the diaphragm, destroying the diaphragm and its sealing structure. The occurrence of the above phenomenon will lead to the attenuation of the performance of the stack, which in turn affects the overall performance and life of the flow battery.
(38) The present invention solves the above problems through a new sealing structure of a flow battery stack.
(39) The present invention provides a sealing structure of a flow battery stack, the sealing structure of the flow battery stack comprises a sealing rubber, and the sealing rubber is formed by connecting a plurality of sealing gaskets by a sealing wire, wherein the sealing gaskets is provided with an electrolyte common flow channel hole, one side of the sealing gasket is provided with a compressive deformation structure, and the other side of the sealing gasket is provided with an annular convex structure.
(40) The material of the sealing rubber of the present invention is preferably a fluorine rubber or an ethylene propylene diene monomer.
(41) A diameter of the sealing wire of the present invention is preferably 1-3 mm.
(42) A thickness of the sealing gasket of the present invention is preferably 1-3 mm.
(43) In the present invention, the shortest distance from the outer edge of the sealing gasket to the center of the common flow channel of the electrolyte is preferably 1.5-3 times the radius of the electrolyte common flow channel of the electrolyte.
(44) In the present invention, the sealing gasket preferably has at least two layers of the annular convex structures, wherein the inner diameter of the innermost annular convex structure is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the common flow channel hole of the electrolyte.
(45) In the present invention, the spacing between the annular convex structures of each layer is 0.5-3 mm, more preferably 1-2 mm.
(46) In the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the annular convex structures of each layer is preferably rectangle, semicircle or inverted trapezoid, more preferably rectangle.
(47) The compression deformation structure of the present invention is preferably a plurality of grooves.
(48) The shape of the grooves of the present invention is preferably arc, rectangle or triangle.
(49) In the present invention, the sealing gasket is provided with at least one sealing gasket positioning structures, more preferably at least two sealing gasket positioning structures. The thickness of the sealing gasket positioning structure of the present invention is preferably 0.3-0.8 times the thickness of the sealing gasket, more preferably 0.4-0.6 times the thickness of the sealing gasket.
(50) The Shore hardness of the sealing rubber of the present invention is preferably 40-100, more preferably 60-80.
(51) The compression ratio of the sealing gasket of the present invention is preferably 10-30%.
(52) In the present invention, the sealing structure of the flow battery stack preferably further comprises an electrode frame, the electrode frame is provided with a wire sealing groove and a gasket sealing groove, and the sealing wire and the sealing gasket are respectively disposed in the wire sealing groove and the gasket sealing groove, wherein the filling ratio of the sealing gasket to the gasket sealing groove is 90-95%, and the filling ratio of the sealing wire to the wire sealing groove is 90-95%.
(53) In the present invention, the connection area of the gasket sealing groove and the wire sealing groove is preferably in close contact with the sealing gasket, and the size of the other area of the gasket sealing groove is larger than the size of the sealing gasket.
(54) The compression deformation structure of the sealing gasket of the present invention is disposed in the gasket sealing groove.
(55) In the present invention, the width of the wire sealing groove is preferably 1-5 mm, the depth of the wire sealing groove is preferably 1-5 mm, and the distance from the outer edge of the gasket sealing groove to the outer edge of the electrode frame is preferably 5-20 mm.
(56) In the present invention, the sealing structure of the flow battery stack preferably further comprises two electrode frames, two sealing rubbers and a diaphragm; the distance from the wire sealing grooves of the two electrode frames to the outer edge of the respective electrode frame is different, the sealing rubber is placed in a sealing groove of the electrode frame, and the sealing gasket of the sealing rubber is provided with one side of the compression deformation structure in contact with the electrode frame and the other side is in contact with the diaphragm, sealing the diaphragm at the common flow channel hole of the electrolyte is to cover the electrolyte common flow channel hole of the diaphragm on an outermost annular convex structure of one of the sealing gaskets, wherein one side of the diaphragm is in contact with the sealing gasket of one of the sealing rubbers, and the other side is in contact with the sealing wire of another sealing rubber, and sealing the diaphragm at the non-electrolyte common flow channel hole is that the diaphragm is sealed by the sealing wire of the two misaligned sealing rubbers, that is, the sealing structure at the common flow channel hole of the diaphragm is sealed by the sealing wires above and below the diaphragm, wherein the sealing wire on one side is in contact with the sealing gasket, while the other side is the wire sealing structure.
(57) In the present invention, the electrolyte common flow channel holes of the electrode frame, the sealing gasket and the diaphragm have a same circle center, and diameters of the electrolyte common flow channel holes of the diaphragm, the sealing gasket and the electrode frame sequentially increase 1-5 mm.
(58) In the present invention, the sealing wire of one of the sealing rubbers and the sealing wire of the other sealing rubbers are sealed to the dislocation side of the diaphragm, and the spacing between these two sealing wires is preferably greater than 0.5 mm, further preferably greater than 2 mm.
(59) The annular convex of the present invention has the following functions: a. ensuring accurate installation and positioning of the diaphragm; b. preventing the electrolyte common flow channel hole of the diaphragm from shifting; and c. sealing the inner wall section of the electrolyte common flow channel hole of the diaphragm, preventing flow battery stack electrolyte from leaking through the inner wall section of the common flow channel of the diaphragm to the outside of the stack and causing leakage to outside the stack and the occurrence of the short circuit of the single cell.
(60) The present invention has following beneficial effects:
(61) The present invention respectively seals the hole and the periphery of the common flow channel of the electrolyte of the diaphragm. The diaphragm side sealing adopts internal and external embedded wire sealing to realize double layer protection. The internal and external leakage protection is realized by the surface sealing at the position of the common flow channel of the electrolyte, and the volume of all the sealing parts is smaller than the volume of the corresponding sealing groove.
(62) The present invention has good sealing property, prolongs the life of the flow battery, and prevents economic loss caused by the frequent leakage of the electrolyte of the flow battery, and has higher secondary utilization and stronger pressure bearing capacity, compared with the traditional single wire sealing and single planar sealing.
(63) The symmetrical wire sealing embedded inside and outside used in the diaphragm side in the present invention not only saves materials, but also reduces the resistance of the battery, so that the battery system runs faster, and the charge and discharge costs are lower.
(64) The invention adopts a surface sealing mode at the position of the common flow channel of the electrolyte to make the sealing performance better, wherein the annular convex structure increases the compression ratio, so that the electrolyte is less likely to leak.
Example 9
(65) As shown in
Example 10
(66) As shown in