Flow battery maker gets $15 million

[jpak]

http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9840626-54.html?tag=newsmap

Deeya Energy, which makes large flow batteries to provide backup power to industrial plants, raised $15 million in a second round of financing, according to Venture Wire.

The company earlier raised $7.5 million and is building manufacturing facilities in India.

What is a flow battery? It's a battery with tanks of electrolytes that effectively let the battery store more energy than normal batteries. The electrolytes flow or circulate through the system. The larger the tanks, the more electricity it can store.

Flow batteries won't appear in watches or MP3 players any day soon. They are too big, Winter explained. The batteries are for bulk energy storage and will serve as backup or emergency power sources. An individual flow battery can provide backup power for 8 to 16 hours and store several kilowatts of power. The electricity is discharged during peak demand periods.

<more>

[madokie]

1. I've often wondered why we couldn't change out the electrolyte in batteries

at a charging station somewhat like adding gas to a tank. Pull in change out the electrolyte with a fresh charge and be on our way. why couldn't something like that be done? maybe I don't understand how charging works??

[Zachstar]

2. Because that is a safety risk

Assuming you mean 90 percent of the major battery electrolyte types.

They are very unsafe to expose, extremely corrosive, toxic, etc...

You cant just stick in a nozzle and expect it to quickly and safely drain and replace.

The future for car energy is not chemical in my view. I truly believe that ultracapasitors and other nonchemical solutions are the future of the auto industry. Batteries and Fuel cells are WAY too expensive and unsafe.

[madokie]

3. of course not

all that can be addressed once a decision is made to explore the idea. I can see how it could be possible to design a system to change out the sulfuric acid in a lead acid battery for instance, not off the top of my head right this moment but give me or anyone who can think in the out of the box kind of way can and yes it could be done. I'm really not sure the battery in that case would be a lead acid battery as there is others now. Nichel-Iron for one, a flow battery for another, theres others too. Of course it can't be done willy nilly and I wouldn't advocate doing that but its something that could and maybe should be studied further is what I'm saying. I also realize that both battery types I mention in itself would require some tweaking to make them suitable for auto use but again that with some study could be addressed. Its the Idea I'm talking about more than a type of battery or how to do it. The american spirit is we can do it



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel-iron_battery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_Battery

[Zachstar]

4. Think about what you are saying.

Stations across the country with large tanks of TOXIC (Yes TOXIC even when compared to gas) and active chemicals. Systems that actually have to interface with systems in the car to manage and move toxic material. Charging systems... etc..

Oh and it has to do this within 5 or so mins or you start to get a line going.

This has nothing to do with "American Spirit" it is a BAD IDEA.

Here is a simple test.

Environmental?=BAD
Economic?=NO

If it can't meet one of the above it likely will not be considered.

The flow battery part is a simple trick that works on a fixed site. It is closed and sealed.

There is a MUCH better solution to getting rid of the need of gas for transportation overall.

The idea is that in the future you will not need gas stations. A simple kiosk built into the side of the road can deliver a massive jolt into your energy system quickly for a dollar or two. If you have ultracapasitors that actually sponge up electrons... This becomes easy. Oh and that charge could take you around 200-500 Miles.

Massive underground tanks and the risks of such systems will be a thing of the past if things go well.

[patch1234]

5. nothing stops you from doing exactly that

but you don't gain anything, so why bother?

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Isn't a flow battery just a fuel cell in which the fuel & oxidant are solutions?

(Although O2 from air could be involved as well.)

Could also be termed a reversible fuel cell, or rechargable fuel cell.