Investigating the Application of Flow-Batteries in Transport Applications
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Abstract
Lithium-ion cells are the current mainstream R&D candidate for energy storage in electric vehicles/hybrid electric vehicles (EVs/HEVs). Vanadium flow batteries have lower energy density per kilogram than these mainstream lithium-ion cells but the technology has not received the same intensive research and development over the past 20 years.
Flow-batteries are receiving a great deal of interest for transport applications in recent years due to having extremely long lifespans (up to 25+ years). Furthermore, the ability to simply refuel the cell in a similar manner to gasoline/diesel is very attractive, due to the energy being stored in liquid form. Range anxiety is a major issue with traditional battery electric vehicles, and if using flow batteries could become a realisation then there is potential to completely resolve this problem.
Very little work has been done in terms of investigating the feasibility of applying flow-batteries various types of transport. Identifying how much a flow-battery needs to improve by is extremely useful information for flow-battery chemists, for example.
This project focuses on investigation using vehicle modelling of new EV/HEV configurations which incorporate a flow-battery, for a range of transport applications. During the initial stages an assessment of the safety limitations of implementation into a vehicle will be conducted. The project may include the testing of flow batteries to generate input data, as well as identifying if certain conditions are viable for a flow-battery. One application may require a radically different design to another. The outcome should be to identify new transport applications for flow-batteries, which may include various types of hybridisation.
The project is sponsored by HORIBA MIRA, a world class vehicle engineering company vehicle with extensive proving grounds. The student will conduct a total of 6 months of work experience at the sponsor.
The project objectives are:
- Assess safety limits/implications of implementing flow-batteries into transport
- Undertake flow-battery testing to gather data for models and validate intended applications
- To determine and rank key factors influencing performance
- Develop vehicle models to assess the viability of various configurations
- Quantify how much a flow-battery may need to improve by to meet the requirements of certain applications
- Undertake a full assessment of the future potential of flow batteries in EVs/HEVs
Flow-batteries are receiving a great deal of interest for transport applications in recent years due to having extremely long lifespans (up to 25+ years). Furthermore, the ability to simply refuel the cell in a similar manner to gasoline/diesel is very attractive, due to the energy being stored in liquid form. Range anxiety is a major issue with traditional battery electric vehicles, and if using flow batteries could become a realisation then there is potential to completely resolve this problem.
Very little work has been done in terms of investigating the feasibility of applying flow-batteries various types of transport. Identifying how much a flow-battery needs to improve by is extremely useful information for flow-battery chemists, for example.
This project focuses on investigation using vehicle modelling of new EV/HEV configurations which incorporate a flow-battery, for a range of transport applications. During the initial stages an assessment of the safety limitations of implementation into a vehicle will be conducted. The project may include the testing of flow batteries to generate input data, as well as identifying if certain conditions are viable for a flow-battery. One application may require a radically different design to another. The outcome should be to identify new transport applications for flow-batteries, which may include various types of hybridisation.
The project is sponsored by HORIBA MIRA, a world class vehicle engineering company vehicle with extensive proving grounds. The student will conduct a total of 6 months of work experience at the sponsor.
The project objectives are:
- Assess safety limits/implications of implementing flow-batteries into transport
- Undertake flow-battery testing to gather data for models and validate intended applications
- To determine and rank key factors influencing performance
- Develop vehicle models to assess the viability of various configurations
- Quantify how much a flow-battery may need to improve by to meet the requirements of certain applications
- Undertake a full assessment of the future potential of flow batteries in EVs/HEVs
