公开(公告)号：US20230378482A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-23

申请号：US18363576

申请日：2023-08-01

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：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：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：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：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：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：US20210135269A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-06

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

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：US20240217034A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-04

申请号：US18395202

申请日：2023-12-22

Applicant: ESS TECH, INC.

Inventor： Nathan Imholt ,  Brady Thompson

IPC: B23K26/362 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K26/60 ,  B23K26/70 ,  H01M8/026 ,  H01M8/18

CPC classification number: B23K26/362 ,  B23K26/3584 ,  B23K26/60 ,  B23K26/703 ,  H01M8/026 ,  H01M8/188

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for surface pretreatment of a bipolar plate for a battery system. In one example, a method for pretreating the bipolar plate includes extruding a material of the bipolar plate and irradiating a surface of the bipolar plate with a laser beam to etch a pattern into the surface. The method may further includes assembling the bipolar plate into a power module of the battery system.

公开(公告)号：US11749827B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US17080702

申请日：2020-10-26

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 ,  H01M4/521 ,  H01M8/04604 ,  H01M8/04895

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：US20220278340A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-01

申请号：US17650513

申请日：2022-02-09

Applicant: ESS Tech, Inc.

Inventor： Yang Song ,  Yan Wu ,  Brady Thompson

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

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.