Electrochemical energy storage for renewable energy integration: zinc-air flow batteries

Amunátegui, B.; Ibáñez, A.; Sierra, M.; Perez, Martin G.

doi:10.1007/s10800-017-1133-7

Cited by 38 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The results show that the air electrode can withstand the stressing conditions (high surface flow velocities, PIC charging) needed for compact zinc deposition. Nevertheless, it has to be considered that too high flow velocities reduce the energy efficiency of the whole system due to the power needed for pumping [49,50]. The air electrode efficiency after 50 h of long-term operation was 50%, 52% after 200 h, and still 50% after 400 h of operation.…”

Section: Flowing Electrolytementioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of operating conditions on component and electrode development for zinc-air flow batteries

et al. 2018

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Rechargeable zinc-air flow batteries are investigated as possible technology for fast responding large-scale electrical energy storage due to the use of inexpensive, non-toxic and abundant materials, and compact system design. The operating ranges for several parameters such as flow rate (2-8 cm s −1 ), concentration of electrolyte (6 or 8 M KOH), charge/discharge current densities (up to 100 mA cm −2 mean), and active or passive air supply as well as their influence on the performance and stability of the electrodes are investigated and compared. Bi-catalyzed bifunctional air electrodes are tested by means of half-cell measurements achieving minimum 200 charge/discharge cycles at 50 mA cm −2 with the longest operation time being 800 h. At this current density, charge/discharge efficiencies are in the range of 50% for all tested air electrodes. End-of-life characterization by means of scanning electron microscopy reveals mechanical degradation of the electrode material. On the negative zinc electrode, zinc deposition morphology on different current collector materials (nickel, brass, and steel) is investigated using Rota-Hull cylinders showing nickel to be the most suitable material. The pulse interrupt current method is thereby successfully applied for compact zinc deposition in a broad current density range without any electrolyte additive. Subsequent scale-up of the rechargeable zinc-air flow battery and unit cell operation is finally performed for proof-of-concept. Graphical AbstractKeywords Zinc-air flow battery · Bifunctional air electrode · Pulse interrupt currents · Compact zinc morphology · Flow operation

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Section: Flowing Electrolytementioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of operating conditions on component and electrode development for zinc-air flow batteries

et al. 2018

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“…As a divalent metal, Zn electrodes can achieve a very large specific capacity (819.9 mA h g −1 , 5853.8 mA h L −1 ). The most suitable application for rechargeable ZABs is stationary energy storage, but they have also been proposed for EV applications and flexible electronics . Primary zinc–air button cells with alkaline electrolytes (e.g., KOH) are widely used in hearing aids, due to their high practical energy density (≈1000 W h L −1 ) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing Aqueous Organic Electrolytes for Zinc–Air Batteries: Method, Simulation, and Validation

Clark

Mainar

Iruin

et al. 2020

Advanced Energy Materials

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Aqueous zinc–air batteries (ZABs) are a low‐cost, safe, and sustainable technology for stationary energy storage. ZABs with pH‐buffered near‐neutral electrolytes have the potential for longer lifetime compared to traditional alkaline ZABs due to the slower absorption of carbonates at nonalkaline pH values. However, existing near‐neutral electrolytes often contain halide salts, which are corrosive and threaten the precipitation of ZnO as the dominant discharge product. This paper presents a method for designing halide‐free aqueous ZAB electrolytes using thermodynamic descriptors to computationally screen components. The dynamic performance of a ZAB with one possible halide‐free aqueous electrolyte based on organic salts is simulated using an advanced method of continuum modeling, and the results are validated by experiments. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy measurements of Zn electrodes show that ZnO is the dominant discharge product, and operando pH measurements confirm the stability of the electrolyte pH during cell cycling. Long‐term full cell cycling tests are performed, and rotating ring disk electrode measurements elucidate the mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. The analysis shows that aqueous electrolytes containing organic salts could be a promising field of research for zinc‐based batteries, due to their Zn2+ chelating and pH buffering properties. The remaining challenges including the electrochemical stability of the electrolyte components are discussed.

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“…The energy density of the hybrid system is limited by the amount of zinc storable as zincate in alkaline solution (∼0.8 M in 8.2 M (35 wt%) KOH) on the one hand and on the other hand by the area of the zinc electrode . A detailed analysis of a large‐scale demonstration ZAFB was recently published by Amunatgeui et al., who concluded that this system is mainly suited for low power and long duration energy storage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zinc‐air flow batteries employ a bifunctional air electrode for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in discharge mode and for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during charging, thus electrochemically converting freely available oxygen from the ambient air. So far, mainly three‐electrode configurations using a separate charge and discharge air electrode have been employed, nevertheless, the two‐electrode configuration with one zinc electrode and only one air electrode would be preferred because of the more compact cell design and the easier handling of the electrical circuitry …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A few alkaline zinc‐air flow battery systems have been reported, but more work needs to be done in regard to implementation of the abovementioned catalysts into stable electrode structures for achieving operation times of hundreds of hours. Nevertheless, by utilizing a flowing electrolyte, common problems of static zinc‐air batteries can be reduced, mainly on the zinc electrode by suppressing dendrite growth, shape change and passivation due to a more even zinc distribution and lower concentration gradients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long‐Term Operation of Perovskite‐Catalyzed Bifunctional Air Electrodes in Rechargeable Zinc‐Air Flow Batteries

Pichler

Mayer

Hacker

2018

Batteries & Supercaps

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Rechargeable zinc-air flow batteries are investigated as promising stationary energy storage system due to compact system design and low cost materials. Bifunctional air electrodes employing a La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 perovskite catalyst for O 2reduction and O 2 -evolution are manufactured in small scale (4 cm 2 ) and in up-scaled sizes (50-55 cm 2 ) and tested in unit cell configuration with flowing electrolyte. Stable operation of 1000 h is achieved in the small set-up with an overall 1800 h of operation over 700 cycles at high voltage efficiencies of > 50 % (air electrode) at 50 mA cm À2 . The up-scaled flow cell reaches nearly the same performance for 320 h and 130 h, respectively, proving the successful scale-up. Slowly decreasing hydrophobicity is found to be the main reason of initially increasing but then decreasing performance. This is confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Although many problems are suppressed with flowing electrolyte, zinc morphology proves to be the major challenge especially in larger cells in long-term operation of a few hundred hours.

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Electrochemical energy storage for renewable energy integration: zinc-air flow batteries

Cited by 38 publications

References 19 publications

The impact of operating conditions on component and electrode development for zinc-air flow batteries

The impact of operating conditions on component and electrode development for zinc-air flow batteries

Designing Aqueous Organic Electrolytes for Zinc–Air Batteries: Method, Simulation, and Validation

Long‐Term Operation of Perovskite‐Catalyzed Bifunctional Air Electrodes in Rechargeable Zinc‐Air Flow Batteries

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