Peristaltic pump for Vanadium Redox Flow batteries

Peristaltic Pump for Vanadium Redox Flow batteries

Energy storage, especially of electrical energy, has become one of the most dynamic technology sectors and is now universally recognised for its ability to fundamentally improve everyday life.

In particular, the scale-up of batteries, from portable electronics to electric vehicles and now to very large, or utility-scale applications, has empowered both consumers and companies. Today, for the first time in history, every company has a choice to proactively control its energy use rather than remain at the mercy of energy markets or supplying utilities. Not only does this allow companies to reduce their costs but also it allows them to accurately forecast their future energy expenditures.

The technology of the Vanadium Redox Flow battery (VRFB) combines the performance advantages of flow batteries with the simplicity of using just one natural element – vanadium.

Unlike prominent solid state batteries, such as lead-acid and lithium-ion, flow batteries use a liquid electrolyte to store energy. This allows for near unlimited recharging (or cycling), easy scaling by just adding more electrolyte and negligible performance deterioration over long periods of time. As a result, for daily energy storage of a few hours, flow batteries provide the most cost-effective means to store energy. The advantage of vanadium in particular, lies in its ability to exist in four different oxidation states and its water-solubility, allowing for a simpler battery with fewer inputs and no toxic elements.

How it works through peristaltic pump?

A flow battery is charged and discharged by a reversible reduction-oxidation reaction between the two liquid vanadium electrolytes of the battery

Unlike conventional batteries, electrolytes are stored in separated storage tanks, not in the power cell of the battery

During operation these electrolytes are pumped(By peristsaltic pump ) through a stack of power cells, in which an electrochemical reaction takes place and electricity is produced

Other key features of the VRFB are that:

Since vanadium can exist in four different states, only a single element used (rather than two or more, as in zinc-bromine batteries)

The battery is simple, nontoxic and avoids cross-contamination