It is actually a chemical power source that generates electricity through a chemical reaction under the catalysis of a catalyst; it is the reverse process of aluminum electrolysis.
The actual power generation battery is a hybrid system consisting of an aluminum fuel cell and an auxiliary battery (lithium battery or nickel-metal hydride battery). Figure 1 shows such a model from Very New Energy Co., Ltd. Its characteristics are: utilizing the high specific energy of the aluminum fuel cell as an energy pack to store and carry energy, output constant power, and replace the whole unit after use; taking advantage of the good output performance and high charging efficiency of nickel-metal hydride batteries/lithium batteries, combining them to give full play to their respective advantages; and using the auxiliary battery to circulate the electrolyte at the beginning and end of the operation of the aluminum fuel cell, completely controlling the self-discharge and shelving performance of the aluminum fuel cell.
Aluminum fuel cell technical parameters
As of 2016, Deyang Dongshen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. had launched aluminum fuel cells into the market, categorized into two types based on their characteristics and applications: capacity-type and power-type. The former has a large capacity but a low power-to-weight ratio, while the latter has a large power-to-weight ratio but a low capacity-to-weight ratio. Their technical parameters are shown in Table 1. Capacity-type aluminum fuel cells are mainly suitable for UPS (Uninterruptible Power Source) applications, such as communication base stations, mobile charging piles, and smart microgrids; power-type aluminum fuel cells are mainly suitable for traction power applications, such as vehicles, machinery, and ships.
Aluminum fuel cell technical parameters
Advantages of aluminum fuel cells
Aluminum fuel cells have the advantages of high specific energy, low cost, convenient replacement, green and environmentally friendly, safe and reliable, strong applicability, long-term operation, and complete recycling of byproducts.
Larger specific energy
The theoretical specific energy of aluminum fuel cells can reach 8178 Wh/kg, four times that of lithium-ion batteries. Their power systems feature high current, low noise (≤35dB), no infrared signature, and long endurance (7-42 days of continuous high-current power supply after a single refueling or replacement of the aluminum anode). The actual specific energy of aluminum fuel cells can reach 350-500 Wh/kg, three times that of lithium-ion batteries (120-150 Wh/kg), resulting in a driving range three times that of lithium-ion batteries. Taking the Beijing Automotive Group's E150 electric vehicle as an example, a lithium-ion battery carries 26 kWh of energy, while an equivalent mass of aluminum fuel cell can carry 78 kWh, providing a driving range of 390 km, comparable to the range of a gasoline-powered car on a single refueling.
Operating costs are low, comparable to those of gasoline-powered vehicles.
According to data from Tong Dongfeng et al. and Dongshen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Figure 2), the aluminum and water consumption of aluminum fuel cell electric vehicles are 3kg/100km and 5L/100kg, respectively. Based on an aluminum price of 15,000 yuan/t and an aluminum processing fee of 3,000 yuan/t, the aluminum consumption cost is 54 yuan. The electrolyte cost is calculated at 1 yuan/L, so the cost of aluminum fuel cells is about 59 yuan/100km. In contrast, the fuel consumption of a typical small passenger vehicle is about 8L/100km. With a gasoline price of 7.63 yuan/L, the driving cost is 61 yuan/100km.
Low manufacturing cost
The manufacturing cost of a battery is expressed by dividing the cost of manufacturing the battery by the amount of electricity it can store. According to statistics from Dongshen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., the cost of manufacturing an aluminum fuel cell is 500 yuan/kWh, which is only 1/8 of the cost of producing a lithium-ion battery, which is 4,000 yuan/kWh.
Replacement is simple, easy and convenient
Aluminum fuel cells primarily consume aluminum and water during operation and discharge. Only a suitable amount of water needs to be added during operation. After the operating cycle is completed, only the aluminum plates need to be replaced or the entire fuel cell stack needs to be replaced. The operation is quick, simple, and convenient, comparable to refueling a car in terms of operation time and ease of use, and much shorter than charging a battery. It can start up rapidly and instantly after a power outage, with stable voltage and normal current output.
The main byproduct of aluminum fuel cell operation is aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), which is environmentally friendly and recyclable, and can be processed into nano-grade high-purity Al2O3. The recycling cost is less than 10 yuan/kg, while gasoline vehicles cause serious exhaust pollution, and lithium-ion battery vehicles cause heavy metal pollution. Aluminum fuel cells operate without mechanical vibration, are very stable, and are noiseless (≤35dB); they have no heat source, will not ignite, and will not explode. They have no electromagnetic characteristics, and their fuel utilization rate is over 92%.
Safe and reliable
It has stable physical and chemical properties and will not corrode, heat up, burn or explode when exposed to air; it will not burn or explode when subjected to strong damage such as squeezing, impact, dropping or puncturing; the battery core operates at 40℃ and there are no major safety hazards such as combustion or explosion; it can generate electricity continuously with high current for a long time.
Highly versatile and widely applicable
Aluminum fuel cell stacks (packs) adopt a modular design, allowing for rapid assembly to meet various usage environments and power demands, demonstrating strong versatility. High-power aluminum fuel cell equipment can be widely applied in national economic construction, people's production and daily life, and various other aspects.
Long-term operation
Aluminum fuel cells are particularly suitable for long-term continuous operation under high power conditions without the need for recharging. Therefore, aluminum fuel cell equipment is particularly suitable for use as a long-lasting UPS.
Aluminum resources are abundant and manufacturing costs are low.
Although China has limited bauxite resources available for alumina extraction using the pure Bayer process, and other bauxite deposits are also scarce, globally, bauxite is abundant. Aluminum accounts for more than 8% of the Earth's total mass, and aluminum is a highly recoverable metal, with recovery energy consumption accounting for only 5% of the total energy consumption for primary aluminum extraction, and recovery loss ≤5%. Aluminum is a metal with the highest recycling value and is considered a green metal. Therefore, the price of aluminum fuel can remain stable within a reasonable range for a long period of time.
aluminum hydroxide recycling
During power generation, aluminum fuel cells produce flocculent Al(OH)3 precipitate. Consuming 1 kg of aluminum yields 3 kg of Al(OH)3, which can produce 2 kg of ultrafine Al2O3 nanoparticles (Figure 3). Dongshen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. uses battery waste slurry to prepare micronized aluminum hydroxide powder with a whiteness ≥97%, meeting the requirements for micronized powder. The particle size is quite uniform, with a d50 product particle size of 0.8 μm~1.5 μm, while the further prepared alumina powder can reach a particle size of 30 nm. Very New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. employs unique aluminum alloy anode technology and electrolyte technology. Through strict control of the battery system to prevent the formation of coarse grains, and after certain processing steps, the grain size, particle size distribution, chemical purity, and overall color of the prepared nano-sized Al2O3 are well controlled. This product has been widely used in nano lamps, hybrid vehicles, electronic substrates, automotive exhaust treatment catalysts, UV curing materials, medical applications, optical thin films, lithium battery separators, automotive lighting, LED lighting, semiconductors, and displays.
Article link: Smart Manufacturing Network https://www.gkzhan.com/news/detail/142652.html
