Experts studying flow batteries see the potential for the alternatively designed packs to be powerful energy storers to one day replace dirty energy sources, according to a story by CleanTechnica.
But first, they have to develop a cost-effective membrane needed for the entire unit to work, the online publication’s Tina Casey wrote.
Lithium-ion packs, like Tesla’s Megapacks, are already storing renewable energy for later use. But CleanTechnica’s report points out that massive, growing data center demand — accounting for 4.4% of U.S. electricity use alone, per government data — is sucking up more and more juice, complicating the transition away from dirty energy sources.
Researchers from Imperial College in London and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China are high on flow batteries because they are simply made, with two tanks holding special liquids, some pumps, and piping. Vanadium metal is often used as the current collector. The setup includes those parts, an electrolyte, and the membrane to prevent unwanted transfer between the liquids, according to CleanTechnica and ScienceDirect.
The batteries can be built for specific sizes. CleanTechnica added that “innovators” are developing one that would power an electric vehicle. Other inventors are trying to turn old oil tanks into flow batteries to cut costs, per the report.
“Some flow battery systems are already on the market, but the real decarbonization magic will happen when costs come down and flow batteries cross the bridge to widespread adoption,” Casey wrote, adding that membranes can account for up to 40% of the unit’s overall expense.
A suitable membrane must meet conductivity and capacity benchmarks, among other points — ideally nixing the use of toxic substances that are often part of the mix, as well. And the Imperial and Dalian teams seem to have had success on that front with a sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) — more easily called sPEEK — membrane that uses less toxic formulas and provides a long lifespan. The formula is effective at moving ions between liquids, which is crucial to the charge/discharge process.
The team developed the material with very small pores to better corral ions, ensuring they go where needed during cycling, all per CleanTechnica.
“By … incorporating microporous architecture, the membranes achieve remarkable performance metrics, particularly enhanced ion conductivity that overcomes the trade-off between ion conductivity and selectivity,” study lead author Toby Wong, from Imperial, said in CleanTechnica’s story.
Battery experimentation is providing fascinating inventions. A group of experts that includes Stanford researchers is working on packs that use safe, sustainable water as a key component, as another example.
The goal is to develop less-expensive, higher-performing alternatives to lithium-ion packs. While reliable batteries, lithium-based units include costly materials that rely on foreign supply chains. Better batteries can help with the global transition to renewable energy storage and cleaner EV use to prevent heat-trapping air pollution.
Climate experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NASA agree that limiting the rise of Earth’s temperature is crucial to mitigating worst-case scenarios, including increased risks for severe droughts and wildfires.
The flow battery researchers are now testing/tweaking the membrane with different electrolyte types, with success. The goal is to affordably scale production.
“The battery can be charged at high current densities … with high energy efficiency, outperforming most membranes reported in the literature. This capability significantly enhances the practicality and scalability of redox flow battery systems for real-world applications,” Imperial College reported, per CleanTechnica.
Anyone can help by being more mindful when using power at home. Unplugging unused chargers and devices can cut unneeded, polluting power use, as well as save you some cash.
