Recycling of all-vanadium liquid flow batteries

Are vanadium flow batteries recyclable?

Composed mainly of recyclable alloys, plastics and generic, off-the-shelf electronics, the vast majority of vanadium flow battery components can be readily recycled. Invinity’s vanadium flow batteries also don’t use so-called ‘conflict’ elements as cathode materials such as cobalt, a major drawback to certain Li-ion battery chemistries.

What is a vanadium redox flow battery?

The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) is an efficient electrochemical energy storage system, characterized by its energy efficiency, long cycle life, and scalability. The electrolyte, as a critical component of the VRFB, significantly affects the cost-effectiveness and operation performance of the battery.

What is a vanadium flow battery?

Invinity’s vanadium flow batteries also don’t use so-called ‘conflict’ elements as cathode materials such as cobalt, a major drawback to certain Li-ion battery chemistries. Fundamental to the key benefits of a VFB is the vanadium electrolyte, which typically makes up around 1/3 of the total system (although this varies from project to project).

Can vanadium be recovered from an invinity flow battery?

Having taken electrolyte that had been cycled many times in an Invinity flow battery, the US Vanadium team were successful in recovering approximately 97% of vanadium from that solution as part of a process which has been documented as part of the study.