公开(公告)号：US20240162722A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-16

申请号：US18504908

申请日：2023-11-08

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Craig Evans ,  Timothy J. McDonald

IPC: H02J7/00 ,  H01M8/04858 ,  H01M8/04992 ,  H01M8/18

CPC classification number: H02J7/0013 ,  H01M8/04895 ,  H01M8/04992 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H02J7/0068

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating a battery power module. In one example, the method may include constraining an electrical parameter of the battery power module to be constant among a plurality of battery stacks of the battery power module and determining current setpoints for each of the plurality of battery stacks of the battery power module based on an estimated overpotential of each of the plurality of battery stacks of the battery power module.

公开(公告)号：US11929534B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-12

申请号：US17070852

申请日：2020-10-14

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Craig E. Evans ,  Brady Thompson

IPC: H01M8/18

CPC classification number: H01M8/188

Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery may include, interrupting cycling of the redox flow battery, including charging the redox flow battery to a threshold charge condition, draining positive and negative electrolyte from the redox flow battery, circulating a wash solution through the redox flow battery, and returning the positive and negative electrolyte to the redox flow battery, and resuming cycling of the redox flow battery. In this way, contamination of the redox flow battery system can be reduced, thereby prolonging the life and increasing performance of the redox flow battery system.

公开(公告)号：US20240047707A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-08

申请号：US18486073

申请日：2023-10-12

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Craig E. Evans ,  Sean Casey ,  Yang Song

IPC: H01M8/0258 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/0239 ,  H01M4/88 ,  H01M8/20 ,  H01M8/0245

CPC classification number: H01M8/0258 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/0239 ,  H01M4/8817 ,  H01M4/8803 ,  H01M8/20 ,  H01M4/8828 ,  H01M8/0245 ,  Y02E60/50

Abstract: A redox flow battery may include: a membrane interposed between a first electrode positioned at a first side of the membrane and a second electrode positioned at a second side of the membrane opposite to the first side; a first flow field plate comprising a plurality of positive flow field ribs, each of the plurality of positive flow field ribs contacting the first electrode at first supporting regions on the first side; and the second electrode, including an electrode spacer positioned between the membrane and a second flow field plate, the electrode spacer comprising a plurality of main ribs, each of the plurality of main ribs contacting the second flow field plate at second supporting regions on the second side, each of the second supporting regions aligned opposite to one of the plurality of first supporting regions. As such, a current density distribution at a plating surface may be reduced.

公开(公告)号：US11764369B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-19

申请号：US17650513

申请日：2022-02-09

Applicant: ESS Tech, Inc.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Yan Wu ,  Brady Thompson

IPC: H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/0228 ,  H01M8/18

CPC classification number: H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/0228 ,  H01M8/188

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for electrochemical and/or chemical pretreatment of bipolar plates, for example, for plating electrodes in redox flow batteries. In one example, a method may include pretreating a bipolar plate for the redox flow battery by disrupting a surface of the bipolar plate. In some examples, pretreating the bipolar plate may include positioning the bipolar plate within the redox flow battery, and thereafter charging the redox flow battery at multiple discrete plating current densities for each of one or more initial charging cycles to electrochemically etch the surface. In additional or alternative examples, pretreating the bipolar plate may include soaking the bipolar plate in solution to chemically treat the surface. In this way, the bipolar plate may be pretreated via electrochemical etching and/or chemical treatment so as to reduce electrochemical performance losses and dendrite formation in the redox flow battery.

公开(公告)号：US20230282862A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-07

申请号：US18316977

申请日：2023-05-12

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Craig E. Evans ,  Sean Casey ,  Thiago Groberg ,  Yang Song

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/2455

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/2455

Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly interposed by two endplates and comprising a plurality of mated membrane frame plates and bipolar frame plates forming, at a mated interface, a plurality of negative and positive flow channels configured to distribute negative and positive electrolyte into a plurality of bipolar plates. In the battery a membrane is coupled to each of the plurality of membrane frame plates and positioned sequentially between two of the bipolar plates included in the plurality of bipolar plates.

公开(公告)号：US20230261238A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-17

申请号：US18296170

申请日：2023-04-05

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Sean Casey ,  Craig Evans ,  Thiago Groberg ,  Yang Song

IPC: H01M8/248 ,  H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/18

CPC classification number: H01M8/248 ,  H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/188

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a redox flow battery system. In one example, the redox flow battery system includes a cell stack compressed between terminal structures defining ends of the redox flow battery. The cell stack may be formed of a plurality of cells where each cell includes a deformable positive electrode in contact with a first face of a membrane separator and a negative electrode configured to be less compressible than the positive electrode and arranged at a second face of the membrane separator.

公开(公告)号：US20230253601A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-10

申请号：US18295213

申请日：2023-04-03

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Craig E. Evans ,  Sean Casey ,  Thiago Groberg ,  Yang Song

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/242 ,  H01M8/248

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/0247 ,  H01M8/242 ,  H01M8/248

Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly having a plate assembly positioned on a lateral side of the cell stack assembly and comprising an elastic flange including a recess mated with a section of a conductive plate and compliant in at least one of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, and a plate frame coupled to the elastic flange.

公开(公告)号：US20230253584A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-10

申请号：US18301935

申请日：2023-04-17

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Timothy J. McDonald ,  Kenneth Fisher

IPC: H01M8/04276 ,  H01M8/04298 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04119

CPC classification number: H01M8/04283 ,  H01M8/04298 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04119

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a redox flow battery system. In one example, the redox flow battery system includes a power module, an electrolyte pump, and a power control system. The power control system may include instructions to switch the redox flow battery system to an idle mode, activate an electrolyte pump when a first threshold period of time elapses, deactivate the electrolyte pump when a second threshold period of time elapses, and drain, purge, and refill one or more electrode compartments when a third threshold period of time elapses.

公开(公告)号：US20230253572A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-10

申请号：US18149910

申请日：2023-01-04

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Sean Casey ,  Yang Song ,  Thiago Groberg ,  Craig Evans

IPC: H01M4/88 ,  H01M4/86

CPC classification number: H01M4/8875 ,  H01M4/8668 ,  H01M4/8673 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M2004/8694

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a redox flow battery. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a bipolar plate assembly including a bipolar plate formed of a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material of the bipolar plate allows the bipolar plate to be directly bonded to a dielectric frame of the bipolar plate assembly, thereby simplifying a manufacturing process of the bipolar plate assembly.

公开(公告)号：US11715840B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

申请号：US17450970

申请日：2021-10-14

Applicant: ESS Tech, Inc.

Inventor： Craig Evans ,  Yang Song

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/20 ,  H01M50/60 ,  H01M8/04186

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04186 ,  H01M8/20 ,  H01M50/60 ,  Y02E60/50 ,  Y10T137/4757

Abstract: In one example, a system for a flow cell for a flow battery, comprising: a first flow field; and a polymeric frame, comprising: a top face; a bottom face, opposite the top face; a first side; a second side, opposite the first side; a first electrolyte inlet located on the top face and the first side of the polymeric frame; a first electrolyte outlet located on the top face and the second side of the polymeric frame; a first electrolyte inlet flow path located within the polymeric frame and coupled to the first electrolyte inlet; and a first electrolyte outlet flow path located within the polymeric frame and coupled to the first electrolyte outlet. In this way, shunt currents may be minimized by increasing the length and/or reducing the cross-sectional area of the electrolyte inlet and electrolyte outlet flow paths.