Patent ID: 8789473
Filing Date: 2014-07-29
Classification: B61C,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A flow battery system, comprising: at least one electrolyte tank for storing electrolytes; a plurality of reaction cells, each having an output current; a plurality of pumps, each associated with one of the plurality of reaction cells, for pumping the electrolytes into the reaction cell at a flow rate; a pump sensor configured to monitor the flow rate of at least one of the plurality of pumps; an output sensor configured to monitor an output current of at least one of the plurality of reaction cells; and a controller configured to: control the flow rate of at least one of the plurality of pumps based on the output current of the reaction cell associated with the at least one of the plurality of pumps, identify when the flow battery system is in a standby mode; receive a request to power an auxiliary load during the standby mode; and selectively operate at least one of the plurality of reaction cells to provide power to the auxiliary load in the standby mode, and choose the at least one reaction cell to selectively operate based on a determination of which reaction cells have been previously selectively operated in the standby mode.