Patent ID: 8268480

Claim:
A flow battery system, comprising: a stack of flow battery cells, wherein each cell in the stack of cells comprises: a first porous electrode; a second non-porous electrode; a reaction zone between the first and second electrodes; and a metal halide electrolyte; and an electrolyte storage reservoir; a flow circuit configured to deliver the metal halide electrolyte to the stack of cells, wherein the flow circuit comprises a feed manifold configured to deliver the electrolyte from the reservoir to the stack of cells and a return manifold configured to deliver the electrolyte from the stack of cells to the reservoir; a circulation pump which is configured to convey the electrolyte from the reservoir to the stack of cells through the flow circuit; and a plurality of conductive spacers which electrically connect the first porous electrode of each cell to the second non-porous electrode of an adjacent cell in the stack of cells; wherein an inlet or outlet for the electrolyte for each cell in the stack of cells is located between the conductive spacers on a first side of the first porous electrode and another one of an outlet or an inlet for the electrolyte for each cell in the stack is located in the reaction zone on a second side of the first porous electrode.