EFRI-RESTOR: Regenerative Hydrogen-Bromine Fuel Cell System for Energy Storage

EFRI-RESTOR：用于储能的再生氢溴燃料电池系统

• 批准号: 1038234
• 负责人: Trung Nguyen
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: University of Kansas Center for Research Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-15 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1038234&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; RESTOR; Regenerative; Hydrogen; Bromine

Renewable energy sources including wind and solar can supply a significant amount of electrical energy in the US; however, because of their intermittent nature, the potential of these two energy sources can be fully exploited only if a suitable energy storage system is provided. Considering the requirements of energy capacity, efficiency and cost of this application, the hydrogen-bromine fuel cell has been identified as the most suitable electrical energy storage system. This system has many advantages among which are extremely fast reaction kinetics, high energy storage capacity, and high reliability. The potential was recognized by industrial teams which attempted to develop commercial systems; however, the use of expensive Pt-based catalysts on unstable electrode supports, the high cost, durable and high-performance membranes, and non-optimal cell configurations did not allow for widespread deployment of these fuel cells at the capacities required to have an impact on US energy requirements. The goal of this project is to generate the enabling science and create the engineering technologies needed to develop the regenerative hydrogen-bromine fuel cell system into a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable large-scale energy storage system for renewable energy sources. Four main focus areas have been identified: the design and synthesis of low-cost and durable eletrocatalysts with high reactivity and selectivity for the hydrogen and bromine reactions; the development of highly selective and durable proton conducting membranes for hydrobromic acid operation; the development of electrode microstructures and cell designs that minimize transport effects and maximize conversion efficiency; identification of system configurations and operation that are optimal for integration to the electrical grid. In terms of broader impacts, providing economical technologies to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources is a grand challenge of the 21st century. Production of abundant, cheap, clean, reliable, renewable energy is the key, and the search for and commercialization of these energy sources will be the next great global industry. The discoveries, insights, and knowledge gained from this project will have impacts on other electrochemical power systems and may find applications in areas such as electric vehicles and residential/commercial power. The educational and outreach component of this project will help create a new diverse generation of engineers and researchers who will play a major role in development of this technology and the creation of a new energy industry. The outcome of this project will contribute to fundamental advances in electrocatalysis, polymer science, electrode design, nano-manufacturing and integration of large-scale energy storage to the electrical grid.The FY 2010 EFRI-SEED Topic that supports this project was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorates for Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Computer & Information Science and Engineering in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

包括风能和太阳能在内的可再生能源可以为美国提供大量的电能；然而，由于这两种能源的间歇性，只有提供合适的储能系统才能充分发挥这两种能源的潜力。考虑到该应用对能量容量、效率和成本的要求，氢溴燃料电池被认为是最合适的电能存储系统。该系统具有反应动力学极快、储能容量高、可靠性高等优点。尝试开发商业系统的工业团队认识到了这种潜力；然而，在不稳定的电极支撑上使用昂贵的铂基催化剂、高成本、耐用和高性能的膜以及非最佳的电池配置不允许这些燃料电池以产生影响所需的容量广泛部署关于美国的能源需求。该项目的目标是产生支持科学并创造将再生氢溴燃料电池系统开发成具有成本效益、高效且可靠的大规模可再生能源储能系统所需的工程技术。确定了四个主要重点领域：设计和合成低成本、耐用的电催化剂，对氢和溴反应具有高反应活性和选择性；开发用于氢溴酸操作的高选择性和耐用的质子传导膜；开发电极微结构和电池设计，最大限度地减少传输效应并最大限度地提高转换效率；识别最适合集成到电网的系统配置和操作。就更广泛的影响而言，提供经济的技术来促进从化石燃料向可持续能源的过渡是 21 世纪的一项重大挑战。生产丰富、廉价、清洁、可靠的可再生能源是关键，而这些能源的寻找和商业化将是下一个伟大的全球产业。从该项目中获得的发现、见解和知识将对其他电化学电力系统产生影响，并可能在电动汽车和住宅/商业电力等领域得到应用。该项目的教育和推广部分将有助于培养新一代多元化的工程师和研究人员，他们将在这项技术的发展和新能源产业的创建中发挥重要作用。 该项目的成果将有助于电催化、聚合物科学、电极设计、纳米制造以及大规模储能与电网集成方面的根本性进步。支持该项目的 2010 财年 EFRI-SEED 主题由美国国家科学基金会 (NSF) 工程 (ENG)、数学和物理科学 (MPS) 以及社会、行为和经济科学 (SBE) 以及计算机与信息科学与工程理事会与美国合作能源部 (DOE) 和美国环境保护局 (EPA)。