A flow battery house Ron Kok President 19-09-2010
An autonomous energy system for domestic use Based on hydrogen and a flow battery fed by renewable energy sources 19-09-2010 2
What s needed? Renewable energy source PV, Wind Electricity generator Flow battery system Power electronics Inverter and Converter Control unit PLC 19-09-2010 3
Schematical relation between the modules PV Modules Flow Batt. Inverter 230 VAC Wind (Battery) Other DC power sources HPC Heat Pump PLC 19-09-2010 4
Renewable energy sources Primary use: High performance mono crystalline PV Modules (>20% efficiency) Secondary use: Small wind turbine as addition to the delivered energy from PV modules. High performance PV panel from SunPower Corporation Example drawing of a Darrieus wind turbine (small, silent, efficient). 19-09-2010 5
Flow battery A flow battery is an electrochemical system that is based on storage of electrical energy (DC) in electrolytic fluid. Why a flow battery and not a fuel cell?: Easier, more stable system, easier to maintain. Input: Electricity Output: Electricity, Heat 19-09-2010 6
Optional HPC / HP Depending on the type of flow battery, it also produces heat besides electricity. Normally the heat is a rest product of the reaction. (In a house, the hot water/steam can easily be used for heating up tap water for domestic use). Result: This combination increases the total efficiency of the flow battery system Heat-Power-Coupling. A flow battery has an operating temperature between 20 85 degrees and therefore less interesting for HPC systems compared with other flow battery types. 19-09-2010 7
Optional HPC / HP As an addition to the Heat-Power-Coupling on the flow battery, a heat pump can be used for the heaters in the house and/or the water for domestic use (bathroom/ kitchen). The extra heat for these purposes is for example extracted from the earth. 19-09-2010 8
Inverter An inverter is needed to invert the generated electricity from the flow battery (DC) into an useful voltage for domestic use (~ 230 V). The input of the inverter can also handle direct DC current from the initial energy sources like PV modules and wind turbines. 19-09-2010 9
Control unit (PLC) An control unit (PLC) is necessary to balance the power and gas flows between all the modules in the flow battery system. For example: Whenever the light and/or wind energy is not available or enough for the electrical requirements in the house at a certain time the control unit will automatically regulate the flow battery system. 19-09-2010 10
Build up of a flow battery house (1) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit 19-09-2010 11
Build up of a flow battery house (2) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit 19-09-2010 12
Build up of a flow battery house (3) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit 19-09-2010 13
Build up of a flow battery house (4) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit 19-09-2010 14
Build up of a flow battery house (5) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit 19-09-2010 15
Build up of a flow battery house (6) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit boiler AC HPC HP Flow batt. 19-09-2010 16
Build up of a flow battery house (7) House Sun/wind Ren. Energy sys. Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit boiler HPC HP Flow batt. INV. 19-09-2010 17
Build up of a flow battery house (8) House Sun / wind Renewable energy system Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit boiler HPC Flow batt. HP PLC INV. 19-09-2010 18
Build up of a flow battery house (9) House Sun / wind Renewable energy system Flow batt. / HPC / HP Inverter Control unit Total system boiler AC HPC Flow batt. HP PLC INV. 19-09-2010 19
End result An autonomous energy system with use of renewable energy sources. No emissions that are harmful for the environment; Not depending on finite availability of fossil fuels; Political independent from countries with fossil fuel supplies. 19-09-2010 20
Goal OTB Group The goal of the OTB group is to build a flow battery driven house with renewable energy sources at the basis of the energy chain of the system. Integration of all modules in one system; Development of software for the control unit (PLC); Ready-to-use autonomous system for integration in houses; Low cost, efficient, easy to use and environmentally friendly. 19-09-2010 21
Thank You OTB Group 19-09-2010 22