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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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