FLOW BATTERIES AND THEIR ROLE IN PROCESS HEATING

Ice, glass, and iron are revolutionizing the way scientists think about the long-standing problem of energy storage.

This is the story of flow batteries, newly emerging as a prominent stand-alone energy storage solution.

For a long time, renewable energy sources like solar and wind have been plagued with unreliability in terms of reliable power supply. Unreliability meant we had to resort to coal or gas-powered power plants for our energy needs.

One of the solutions explored to deal with the intermittent power supply is having an energy storage means tied to renewable energy sources. This means stores the energy at peak production periods and discharges it when the supply falls short of demand. More traditional battery solutions, including Li-ion batteries, have proved to be expensive, dangerous, flammable, and hampered by the issues of storage degradation once the charging and discharging cycle starts increasing.

Flow batteries solve the challenges associated with traditional energy storage mediums. A new technology, flow batteries use electrolytes are stored separately in tanks. They are pumped through an electrolytic cell where compartments are separated by a membrane which allows only the exchange of ions. The flow battery is also called a Redox battery because it encompasses reduction/oxidation on both sides of the membrane. Unlike traditional batteries, like Lead-acid batteries, where the electroactive material is stored in the electrodes, flow batteries store energy in the electrolyte itself.