Modernization of the electric grid and the increased interest in renewable energy continue to drive the need for large-scale energy storage, which the flow batteries provide. CTC addressed several Department of Energy-identified challenges to implementing this technology. This patent was awarded for a solution to leaking liquid in the flow battery stacks. CTC engineers designed a tongue-and-groove configuration that creates a seal, eliminating the leakage, and ultimately reducing parts and labor needed to assemble the battery.
“This unique, patented technology builds on CTC’s decades of experience in addressing manufacturing challenges, including those involving energy storage technologies,” said Edward J. Sheehan, Jr., CTC President and CEO. “I appreciate the contributions of our exceptional engineers who continually make their mark to improve manufacturing in a variety of areas.”
A flow battery is a type of rechargeable battery with two chemical liquids (positive and negative electrolytes) contained within the system and separated within the stacks by a membrane. The main advantage of flow batteries over other energy storage technologies is that the power capacity and total energy storage can be expanded independently. To increase system power level, more stacks can be added. To increase total energy storage capacity, the volume of the electrolyte storage tanks can be increased.
“The self-sealing flow frame can make a significant impact since flow batteries can play a major role in the need for large-scale energy storage,” said Dan Markiewicz, Senior Principal Electrical Engineer and Principal Investigator for this work. “Our work addresses some of the barriers and challenges that need to be resolved before widespread deployment of energy storage is possible.”
The inventors include Dan Markiewicz, Bryan Tipton, Michel McCluskey, John Glover, Kevin Weaver, Jennifer Kronick, and Dave Berkey.
As a member of the Energy Storage Association and an affiliate-level member of the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, CTC is working with other national leaders in science and engineering to help enable next-generation energy storage solutions.
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization. Together with our affiliates, Enterprise Ventures Corporation and CTC Foundation, we leverage research, development, test and evaluation work to provide transformative, full lifecycle solutions. To best serve our clients’ needs, we offer the complete ability to fully design, develop, test, prototype and build. We support our clients’ core mission objectives with customized solutions and strive to exceed expectations. For more information about CTC, visit www.ctc.com.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e55ba3f4-a87a-49c3-b988-55af2bcfd50a
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6cb822db-6a99-40c3-9b75-ed2399338cbc