Self-Powered Embedded-Sensory Adjustment for Flow Batteries

摘要

Flow batteries (FBs) are one of the most promising strategies for large-scaleenergy storage, in which the flow rates of electrolytes are critical to the redoxreaction efficiency. However, low-power and energy-efficient strategies toeffectively monitor and adjust the flow rates of FBs are great challenges. Here,a liquid metal based thin-film and self-powered triboelectric sensor (LM-TS) tomonitor and adjust the real-time electrolyte flow rates in FBs is developed. Byintegrating the LM-TS with a peristaltic pump (flow rate control unit in FB),the flow rates of electrolytes can be converted into readable electrical outputsignals. Furthermore, a logical and a control module are adopted to adjust theflow rates of electrolytes automatically after receiving those electrical signals,which are available to guarantee the optimal working condition of FBs.Benefiting from the high conductivity and outstanding ductility of ultrathinLM film, the self-powered LM-TS is endowed with high sensitivity, shortresponse time (9.1 ms), and remarkable cyclic stability (> 20000 cycles)without affecting the normal operation of FBs. This is the first prototype ofself-powered adjustment sensor for FBs, which is readily extended toscaled-up FB equipment for intermediate trial and large-scale energy-storagedemonstration.