Patent ID: 8236445

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, wherein the feed manifold comprises a first intake line and second intake line, which is separate from the first intake line, wherein the first intake line extends to a different portion of the reservoir than the second intake line; 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 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 an outlet for the electrolyte for each cell in the stack is located in the reaction zone on a second side of the first porous electrode.