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The acid-base flow battery: Tradeoffs between energy density, efficiency, and stability

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  • Boulif, Nadia
  • Evers, Renate
  • Driegen, Jelle
  • Nawaz, Ayesha
  • Borneman, Zandrie
  • Nijmeijer, Kitty

Abstract

The deployment of renewable energy inevitably relies on environmentally friendly energy storage systems. An acid-base flow battery (ABFB) uses the principle of bipolar membrane (BPM) (reverse) electrodialysis to store excess electrical energy in abundant and benign materials (sodium chloride and water). However, this technology suffers from high energy losses due to undesired ion crossover through the membranes. In this study, we investigate the contribution of the membrane type as well as the different ions in the battery, and identify the major causes for this crossover and thus capacity losses. We also study the ion crossover under different ABFB operating conditions (pH gradient, current density, and used ions).

Suggested Citation

  • Boulif, Nadia & Evers, Renate & Driegen, Jelle & Nawaz, Ayesha & Borneman, Zandrie & Nijmeijer, Kitty, 2025. "The acid-base flow battery: Tradeoffs between energy density, efficiency, and stability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 383(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:383:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925000571
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125327
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Culcasi, Andrea & Gurreri, Luigi & Zaffora, Andrea & Cosenza, Alessandro & Tamburini, Alessandro & Micale, Giorgio, 2020. "On the modelling of an Acid/Base Flow Battery: An innovative electrical energy storage device based on pH and salinity gradients," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
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