Recently, with the rapid deployment of renewable energy resources (such as wind power and solar cells), the power grid faces tremendous opportunities and challenges toward maintaining grid reliability, sustainability, resiliency, and efficient electricity utilization. Therefore, stationary energy storage systems, including hydro pump storage, compressed air, rechargeable batteries, fly wheel, etc., have considered one of the most important components for the next-generation (smart) grid, since they can effectively integrate intermittent renewables and provide viable grid services such as frequency regulation, arbitrage, peak shaving, and microgrids. Among those various technologies, increasing attention has been given to developing feasible battery technologies for stationary storage applications, which require superior safety and reliability, longer cycle life, and substantially lower cost. In particular, the use of a naturally abundant element - sodium (Na) - as the charge carrier rather than lithium (Li) is an attractive way to reduce materials cost. Among various Na based battery technologies, Na b″-alumina batteries (NBBs) including Na-S and Na-metal halide batteries (Na-MH or Zebra), have been extensively investigated and demonstrated due to their potentially low cost, since both batteries employ readily available/abundant elements e.g. Na, S, Fe, Ni, O, and Cl. However, the high operating temperature of conventional NBBs (350°C for Na-S and 280°C for Na-NiCl<sub>2</sub> batteries) significantly raises the cost of batteries due to intrinsic issues (complicated cell assembly process, high capital cost, and low production capability), and limits its practical applications as a stationary energy storage device. More recently, planar type NBBs have attracted interest due to advantages such as high power density, simple cell architectures, improved thermal management, lower operating temperature, and lower manufacturing cost. Material degradation in planar type Na-MH batteries (Ni or NaCl particle growths) is significantly suppressed at lower operating temperatures (&lt;200°C), which allow a prolonged cycle life and stable cell performance.<br/>In here, we will present fundamental understandings of redox chemistries, materials development for low cost cathodes, strategic approaches for cell design for planar type Na-MH battery development, to aim for its practical applications in ESS.

Advanced Na beta-alumina batteries (NBBs) for energy storage systems applications

2019 Fall National Meeting

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