What are the components of a flow battery?

Flow batteries typically include three major components: the cell stack (CS), electrolyte storage (ES) and auxiliary parts. A flow battery's cell stack (CS) consists of electrodes and a membrane. It is where electrochemical reactions occur between two electrolytes, converting chemical energy into electrical energy.

How do flow batteries work?

Flow batteries, however, are separated into a cell (s) and two tanks of liquid electrolyte – one tank of positive electrolyte, and one tank of negative electrolyte. The tanks are connected to a cell (s) in which the electrolytes do not mix but are separated by an ion exchange membrane.

Are flow batteries scalable?

Scalability: One of the standout features of flow batteries is their inherent scalability. The energy storage capacity of a flow battery can be easily increased by adding larger tanks to store more electrolyte.

How long do flow batteries last?

ESS says its iron flow systems have a 25-year service life, whereas most Li-ion batteries last about 7-to-10 years. And because flow batteries store their energy in a non-flammable liquid electrolyte in tanks exterior to the cells, they are generally considered to be safer than Li-ion batteries, which have flammable electrolyte stored in each cell.

What is the difference between a flow battery and a rechargeable battery?

The main difference between flow batteries and other rechargeable battery types is that the aqueous electrolyte solution usually found in other batteries is not stored in the cells around the positive electrode and negative electrode. Instead, the active materials are stored in exterior tanks and pumped toward a flow cell membrane and power stack.

What is the difference between flow batteries and lithium ion batteries?

Compared to lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries offer superior scalability due to their ability to easily increase energy capacity by adding more electrolytes to the tanks. Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, have limited scalability, as their capacity is primarily determined by the number of cells in the battery pack.