3. INTRODUCTION :
*Transportation is one of the fastest growing energy demand sectors , having a close
association with oil.
*Globally about 98% of the worlds transportation runs on fuel made from oil.
*Electric vehicles are stated as the vehicles of the future , a number pf factors are holding
people back from switching over from regular vehicles right now.
*Researchers from MIT have developed a new battery that is said to solve these problems.
*We just need to swap the electrolytes in the battery.
*The discharged liquid is also reusable: it can be recharged and then pumped into other
vehicle, which makes it an eco-friendly solution.
6. HISTORY OF VRB :
* Initial work on the Vanadium Redox Battery (VRB)
at UNSW began in 1984.
*First patent of VRB by Maria skyllas – kazacos &
coworkers in 1986.
*200 kW / 800 kWh installed by Mitsubishi
Chemicals (1996) at Kashima- Kita Electric Power,
Japan for load-levelling.
7. CONCEPT OF LIQUID ELECTRICITY :
o The Dutch innovation network has come up with the idea of just pumping up the spent
Electrolyte out & pump in freshly charged electrolyte –LIQUID ELECTRICITY.
o “POWER NETWORK” basic principle involved with the refueling of electric cars is the
recharging of the spent electrolyte in the battery via an external media, that has been
consuming a lot time.
o This would take little more time than filling up with fossil fuel & the spent electrolyte can
be recharged & resold
o “Liquid electricity ” , takes the form of a VANADIUM REDOX BATTERY –technology
pioneered by the University of NSW.
o “PETER OEI” Says-”With an electrolyte solution the consumer delivers the spent electrolyte
back to the filling station where it is recharged by the local power generation or the national.
8.
9. OPERATION OF VRB :
VRB consists of an assembly of power cells.
Two electrolytes are separated by a proton exchanger.
Positive half cells contains 𝑉+4 & 𝑉+3 ions.
Negative half cells contains 𝑉3+ & 𝑉2+.
Both half cells are connected to storage tanks & pumps.
VRB is being charged by 𝑉𝑂2+ ions in the positive half-cell.
The negative half-cell electrons are introduced converting the 𝑉3+ ions into 𝑉2+ .
During discharge this process is reversed and results in a typical open circuit voltage
of 1.41 v at 25℃.
To charge the battery ,we just need to reverse the process by connecting an external
source.
10.
11. ADVANTAGES :
Liquid electricity provides us with a chance of leaving back the technology which emit
carbon dioxide , fine dust & noise.
It provides farmers a mean to supplement their income by providing them a chance to
utilize the space in their properties to build wind turbines, solar collectors or biomass
plants.
This would nearly end the use of food plants such as corn & sugarcane for the
production of ethanol.
We currently spend huge amounts of time and energy getting oil from various locations ,
refining and transporting them to local fuel stations.
This stresses the need of an alternate technique to power our engines.
12. APPLICATIONS :
Helps photon farmers using wind, solar or waste biomass to make clean electricity to
recharge electrolyte and sell it at filling stations.
To make Small portable batteries for Electric vehicles that require ‘instant recharge’
through working fluid replacement
Applications where the batteries must be stored for long periods of time with little
maintenance while maintaining a ready state.
13. DRAWBACKS :
Although it sounds like a great idea for electric car transport – filling up with “recharged
electrolyte” but the cost effectiveness regarding the energy needed to transport the
electrolyte from suburban filling stations back to the power stations for recharging.
An effective method for handling and storage of electrolyte also has to be found,
otherwise a lot of effort would certainly go down the drain in terms of wastage of the
effort of charging.
Inability for the national power networks to meet the demand if everyone were to switch
to this solution.
14. FUTURE ASPECTS :
• Dutch government with the help of their innovation
network is working on a solution in Utrecht city.
• Scientist from US are developing a liquid consisting
of carbon, hydrogen & nitrogen to develop a storage
liquid which can store 1.10% of solar energy as
compared to solar panel.
• It is not much increase but still some progress .
15. CONCLUSION :
Liquid electricity provides us a chance to leave behind the technology involving the
emission of fine dust, carbon dioxide and noise.
This project has very bright chances regarding being technically and economically
feasible someday.
Let’s hope the future automobile will run on electricity and not gasoline and we get
everybody to convert to Electric Vehicles, which is better for our planet.
16. REFERENCE :
UNSW Site on Vanadium batteries
Contents from Wikipedia
2012 techdirections magazine
UNSW Site on Vanadium batteries
Comprehensive Vanadium report on uses and applications