公开(公告)号：US20250006967A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-02

申请号：US18882252

申请日：2024-09-11

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Sean Casey

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M4/86 ,  H01M4/88

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for mechanical pretreatment of bipolar plates, for example, for plating electrodes in redox flow batteries. In one example, a method for disrupting surfaces of a bipolar plate may include pressing the bipolar plate between imprint plates, and removing the pressed bipolar plate from the imprint plates prior to use in a redox flow battery. In some examples, the pressed bipolar plate may include negative indentations from at least one of the imprint plates. In some examples, the imprint plates may be patterned meshes, such that the negative indentations may include patterns of asymmetric protrusions. In this way, the bipolar plate may be pretreated via pressing so as to reduce wear to manufacturing equipment (relative to other mechanical pretreatment processes, for example) while maintaining electrochemical performance of the redox flow battery.

公开(公告)号：US20240194921A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-13

申请号：US18065576

申请日：2022-12-13

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Sean Kissick ,  Yang Song ,  Timothy J McDonald

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04089 ,  H01M8/04537 ,  H01M8/04746

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04089 ,  H01M8/04611 ,  H01M8/04753

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for rebalancing cells in a redox flow battery. In one example, a method of operating a rebalancing cell in a redox flow battery system includes measuring a state-of-charge (SOC) of a redox flow battery in the redox flow battery system, calculating an electrolyte concentration from the measured SOC of the redox flow battery, and maintaining a rebalancing reaction rate at the rebalancing cell. In one example, maintaining the rebalancing includes, responsive to a change in the electrolyte concentration, adjusting an electrolyte flow rate to the rebalancing cell and adjusting a hydrogen flow rate to the rebalancing cell.

公开(公告)号：US20240178430A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-30

申请号：US18522106

申请日：2023-11-28

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Joseph M. Cooley

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/22 ,  H01M50/35 ,  H01M50/627

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/22 ,  H01M50/35 ,  H01M50/627

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for electrolyte health management in a redox flow battery system. In one example, the redox flow battery system includes an injector arranged inside of an electrolyte tank. The injector may be configured to entrain a gas into electrolyte flowing from an inlet of the injector to an outlet of the injector.

公开(公告)号：US11996597B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-28

申请号：US17929625

申请日：2022-09-02

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Craig Evans

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04186

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04194

Abstract: A hybrid redox fuel cell system includes a hybrid redox fuel cell including an anode side through which a reductant is flowed and a cathode side through which liquid electrolyte is flowed, and a catalyst bed fluidly connected to the cathode side of the hybrid redox fuel cell, the catalyst bed including a substrate layer and a catalyst layer spiral wound into a jelly roll structure. Furthermore, the liquid electrolyte includes a metal ion at a higher oxidation state and the metal ion at a lower oxidation state, and power is generated at the hybrid redox fuel cell by way of reducing the metal ion from the higher oxidation state to the lower oxidation state at the cathode side while oxidizing the reductant at the anode side.

公开(公告)号：US20240162467A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-16

申请号：US18421785

申请日：2024-01-24

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：US11817606B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US15965728

申请日：2018-04-27

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Craig E. Evans

IPC: H01M8/0662 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04276 ,  H01M8/2455 ,  H01M8/04186

CPC classification number: H01M8/0687 ,  H01M8/04186 ,  H01M8/04276 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/2455 ,  Y02E60/50

Abstract: A rebalancing reactor for a redox flow battery system may include a first side through which hydrogen gas is flowed, a second side through which electrolyte from the redox flow battery system is flowed, and a porous layer separating and fluidly coupled to the first side and the second side, wherein, the hydrogen gas and the electrolyte are fluidly contacted at a surface of the porous layer, and a pressure drop across the second side is less than a pressure drop across the porous layer. In this way, rebalancing of electrolyte charges in a redox flow battery system may be performed with increased efficiency and cost effectiveness as compared to conventional rebalancing reactors.

公开(公告)号：US20230361331A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-09

申请号：US18352679

申请日：2023-07-14

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Brady Thompson ,  Timothy J. McDonald

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04537 ,  H01M8/04858 ,  H01M4/52

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04604 ,  H01M8/04895 ,  H01M4/521

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for iron preformation in a redox flow battery. In one example, a method may include, in a first condition, discharging and then charging the redox flow battery, and in a second condition, charging the redox flow battery including preforming iron metal at a negative electrode of the redox flow battery, and thereafter entering an idle mode of the redox flow battery including adjusting one or more electrolyte conditions. In some examples, each of preforming the iron metal and adjusting the one or more electrolyte conditions may increase a battery charge capacity to greater than a threshold battery charge capacity.

公开(公告)号：US11811110B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-07

申请号：US18182892

申请日：2023-03-13

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Timothy J. McDonald ,  Thiago Groberg

IPC: H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/04537 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04955 ,  H01M8/04858

CPC classification number: H01M8/04611 ,  H01M8/04582 ,  H01M8/04932 ,  H01M8/04955 ,  H01M8/188

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an electric energy storage device are described. The systems and methods may generate a state of charge estimate that is based on negative electrode plating. An overall state of charge may be determined from the state of charge estimate that is based on negative electrode plating and a state of charge estimate that is not based on negative electrode plating.

公开(公告)号：US20230343980A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US18179262

申请日：2023-03-06

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Craig Evans ,  Brady Thompson

IPC: H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04537

CPC classification number: H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04552

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a redox flow battery. In one example, a method of operating a redox flow battery includes charging the redox flow battery, including supplying a pulsed power signal to the redox flow battery in response to the redox flow battery state of charge (SOC) decreasing below a lower threshold redox flow battery SOC, wherein supplying the pulsed power signal includes supplying a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) charging voltage signal to the redox flow battery, the PWM charging voltage signal fluctuating between an upper threshold charging voltage and an open circuit voltage (OCV).

公开(公告)号：US20230299318A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-21

申请号：US18324044

申请日：2023-05-25

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Craig E. Evans ,  Timothy J. McDonald ,  Kenneth Fisher ,  Sean Kissick

IPC: H01M8/04276 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04186

CPC classification number: H01M8/04276 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/04186

Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery system may include flowing an electrolyte from an electrolyte storage tank to a multi-stage rebalancing reactor, the multi-stage rebalancing reactor comprising reactor vessels grouped to form stages. Hydrogen gas may be injected into the electrolyte upstream of the multi-stage rebalancing reactor via a gas line and a metal ion of the electrolyte may be chemically reduced by oxidizing the hydrogen gas at a catalyst bed of each of the reactor vessels to maintain a charge balance of the electrolyte and a pH of the electrolyte within a predetermined range.