CPC H01M 8/04955 (2013.01) [H01M 8/04029 (2013.01); H01M 8/04074 (2013.01); H01M 8/04186 (2013.01); H01M 8/04201 (2013.01); H01M 8/04582 (2013.01); H01M 8/04753 (2013.01); H01M 8/188 (2013.01); H01M 8/249 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
1. A flow battery module comprising:
a plurality of stacks, each of the plurality of stacks fluidically coupled to a reservoir adapted to hold a negative electrolyte and to a reservoir adapted to hold a positive electrolyte, wherein the negative electrolyte and the positive electrolyte are circulated through each of the plurality of stacks;
an external circuit element electrically coupled to the plurality of stacks;
a current sensor disposed between the plurality of stacks and the external circuit element, configured to detect magnitude and direction of current flowing from the plurality of stacks;
an isolation switch configured between each of the plurality of stacks and the external circuit element; and
a control unit configured to:
selectively isolate one or more of the plurality of stacks by operating the isolation switch between the external circuit element and the one or more of the plurality of stacks based on at least one operating parameter of the flow battery module determined from the magnitude and the direction of current flow from the plurality of stacks; and
control the circulation of the negative electrolyte and the positive electrolyte in each of the one or more of the plurality of stacks,
wherein the control unit operates to reduce energy loss in the flow battery module.
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