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Preparation
of the Electrolyte
Problems in the Prior Art
Vanadium is commercially available as vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), or
as ammonium vanadate (NH4VO3). In both these compounds the vanadium
is in the oxidation state V5+. However,
the electrolyte required for first filling vanadium regenerative fuel
cells is acid vanadium sulfate with half the vanadium in the oxidation
state V3+, and half in the state V4+.
Unfortunately, vanadium pentoxide is only slightly soluble in sulfuric
acid and water, and the methods used until now for preparing the acid
vanadium electrolyte have been complex and costly chemical and electrochemical
processes. The overall economics of vanadium fuel cells needs a better
method of preparing the electrolyte from solid vanadium pentoxide.
The Cellennium Method Using Asymmetric
Cells
Cellennium now has a simple and inexpensive new method for dissolving
and reducing vanadium pentoxide in an acid electrolyte. Vanadium pentoxide
powder, sulfuric acid and water are fed continuously into vanadium
electrolyte solution circulating through a cascade of electrolytic
cells. This novel process can produce vanadium electrolyte (acid vanadium
sulfate mixture of 50% V3+ and 50% V4+)
very cheaply and will be portable so that electrolyte production can
take place in-situ saving transportation and handling costs. |
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