How the U.S. lost the Next Big Thing to China – again
npr.orgFlow batteries charge the battery fluid and store the charged fluid in a large tank insolution. It is pumped through the discharge electrodes and the charge drives the load. Depleted fluid goes to a used fluid tank. To charge it is pumped back through the same electrodes = charged = into the charged tank. They suit large stationary uses. The power density is low = limited by the solubility in the transport fluid and the nature of the 1/2 cell in the Vanadium ReDox cycle.1.15 to 1.55 volts). Not sure what DOE patented, but it is far far safer than Lithium non flow storage, as well as cheaper. I am sure this can easily be made in the USA = mainly large tanks etc., but it is not a 'cool' tech. Lots of Vanadium out there. I suspect the low voltage is part of the problem with lithium having 2-3 times the volumetric efficiency.
My takeaway from the article is that it was impractical to manufacture these in America, or get financing to do so. It sounds like the U.S. has a serious problem connecting manufacturing ideas with resources needed to implement them.
When intelligent young people get poached by adtech, what can you expect to happen?
Does the DOE have a patent in China?