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04-07-2015

Test-bed Preparation and Performance Analysis of a Single Cell Advanced Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

Rabiul Islam, Benjamin Eckerson and Cameron Nolen

Advisor:Dr. David Jeong, P.E

Department of Mechanical Engineering Arkansas State University

Contents Research backgrounds Research objective Experimental setup Schematic of the VRFB Reactions in cell Results Conclusions Future works Acknowledgements

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Research backgrounds To convert intermittent to baseload*

*Energy Department Releases Grid Energy Storage Report, 12 December 2013

Demand

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Research objective

Improvement of system efficiency: screening of materials and its optimization optimizing operation variables

=

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Experimental setup

Power Supply

Oscilloscope

Pump

Storage Tank

Cell

Flowmeter

Voltmeter

Laptop

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Schematic of the VRFB

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Reactions in the cellAt positive electrode:

At negative electrode:

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Tests results: V(III) and V(V) were synthesized from V(IV)

V(IV)V(III)V(V)

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Tests results: Cell voltage profile during synthesis of V(III) and V(V)

0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 270.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

Concentration: 1 M, Flowrate: 100 ml/min, Applied Cur-rent: 0.75 AConcentration: 2 M, Flowrate: 200 ml/min, Applied Cur-rent: 0.45 to 1.25 A

Time (h)

Cel

l Vol

tage

(Vol

t)

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Modeling- Equations

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Modeling results: Concentration of electrolyte during discharge and charge

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 250000

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9 Flow rate: 0.125 (L/min)Flow Rate: 0.208 (L/min)Flow Rate: 0.300 (L/min)

Time (Second)

Con

cent

ratio

n ( M

ole/

L)

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Modeling results: On load voltage during discharge

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Conclusions Single cell VRFB test bed setup was done successfully

A reasonable cell voltage profile has been found from synthesis operations

Modeling results of electrolyte concentration change and on load voltage during operation has been obtained

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Future works Charging and discharging operations will be carried out by optimizing the electrolyte concentration, flowrate and induced current

Columbic efficiency and voltage efficiency will be calculated and optimized

The system will be scaled up to multiple cells VRFB system

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Acknowledgements

National Science Foundation (NSF)

(EPSCoR: EPS-1003970 as Subaward SA1306027: Test-Bed Development of Advanced Flow Battery for Renewable Energy Storage)

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Thank you!