Patents by Inventor Craig E. Evans

Craig E. Evans has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12132241
    Abstract: A method of rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system comprises directing hydrogen gas generated on the negative side of the redox flow battery system to a catalyst surface, and fluidly contacting the hydrogen gas with an electrolyte comprising a metal ion at the catalyst surface, wherein the metal ion is chemically reduced by the hydrogen gas at the catalyst surface, and a state of charge of the electrolyte and pH of the electrolyte remain substantially balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 12080931
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly having a plate assembly positioned on a lateral side of the cell stack assembly and comprising an elastic flange including a recess mated with a section of a conductive plate and compliant in at least one of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, and a plate frame coupled to the elastic flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song
  • Publication number: 20240162467
    Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery may include, interrupting cycling of the redox flow battery, including charging the redox flow battery to a threshold charge condition, draining positive and negative electrolyte from the redox flow battery, circulating a wash solution through the redox flow battery, and returning the positive and negative electrolyte to the redox flow battery, and resuming cycling of the redox flow battery. In this way, contamination of the redox flow battery system can be reduced, thereby prolonging the life and increasing performance of the redox flow battery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2024
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Brady Thompson
  • Patent number: 11929534
    Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery may include, interrupting cycling of the redox flow battery, including charging the redox flow battery to a threshold charge condition, draining positive and negative electrolyte from the redox flow battery, circulating a wash solution through the redox flow battery, and returning the positive and negative electrolyte to the redox flow battery, and resuming cycling of the redox flow battery. In this way, contamination of the redox flow battery system can be reduced, thereby prolonging the life and increasing performance of the redox flow battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Brady Thompson
  • Publication number: 20240079625
    Abstract: A method of rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system comprises directing hydrogen gas generated on the negative side of the redox flow battery system to a catalyst surface, and fluidly contacting the hydrogen gas with an electrolyte comprising a metal ion at the catalyst surface, wherein the metal ion is chemically reduced by the hydrogen gas at the catalyst surface, and a state of charge of the electrolyte and pH of the electrolyte remain substantially balanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans
  • Publication number: 20240047707
    Abstract: A redox flow battery may include: a membrane interposed between a first electrode positioned at a first side of the membrane and a second electrode positioned at a second side of the membrane opposite to the first side; a first flow field plate comprising a plurality of positive flow field ribs, each of the plurality of positive flow field ribs contacting the first electrode at first supporting regions on the first side; and the second electrode, including an electrode spacer positioned between the membrane and a second flow field plate, the electrode spacer comprising a plurality of main ribs, each of the plurality of main ribs contacting the second flow field plate at second supporting regions on the second side, each of the second supporting regions aligned opposite to one of the plurality of first supporting regions. As such, a current density distribution at a plating surface may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Yang Song
  • Patent number: 11888201
    Abstract: A method of rebalancing electrolytes in a redox flow battery system comprises directing hydrogen gas generated on the negative side of the redox flow battery system to a catalyst surface, and fluidly contacting the hydrogen gas with an electrolyte comprising a metal ion at the catalyst surface, wherein the metal ion is chemically reduced by the hydrogen gas at the catalyst surface, and a state of charge of the electrolyte and pH of the electrolyte remain substantially balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans
  • Publication number: 20240030471
    Abstract: A rebalancing reactor for a redox flow battery system may include a first side through which hydrogen gas is flowed, a second side through which electrolyte from the redox flow battery system is flowed, and a porous layer separating and fluidly coupled to the first side and the second side, wherein, the hydrogen gas and the electrolyte are fluidly contacted at a surface of the porous layer, and a pressure drop across the second side is less than a pressure drop across the porous layer. In this way, rebalancing of electrolyte charges in a redox flow battery system may be performed with increased efficiency and cost effectiveness as compared to conventional rebalancing reactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventor: Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 11855312
    Abstract: A redox flow battery may include: a membrane interposed between a first electrode positioned at a first side of the membrane and a second electrode positioned at a second side of the membrane opposite to the first side; a first flow field plate comprising a plurality of positive flow field ribs, each of the plurality of positive flow field ribs contacting the first electrode at first supporting regions on the first side; and the second electrode, including an electrode spacer positioned between the membrane and a second flow field plate, the electrode spacer comprising a plurality of main ribs, each of the plurality of main ribs contacting the second flow field plate at second supporting regions on the second side, each of the second supporting regions aligned opposite to one of the plurality of first supporting regions. As such, a current density distribution at a plating surface may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Yang Song
  • Publication number: 20230411643
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a membrane separator for a redox flow battery. In one example, the membrane separator is fabricate by a calendering process. The membrane separator may be configured with a polymer network to provide selectivity for ion transport across the membrane separator. The membrane separator may be further adapted with an integrated spacer in contact with a negative electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 11817606
    Abstract: A rebalancing reactor for a redox flow battery system may include a first side through which hydrogen gas is flowed, a second side through which electrolyte from the redox flow battery system is flowed, and a porous layer separating and fluidly coupled to the first side and the second side, wherein, the hydrogen gas and the electrolyte are fluidly contacted at a surface of the porous layer, and a pressure drop across the second side is less than a pressure drop across the porous layer. In this way, rebalancing of electrolyte charges in a redox flow battery system may be performed with increased efficiency and cost effectiveness as compared to conventional rebalancing reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventor: Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 11791479
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a membrane separator for a redox flow battery. In one example, the membrane separator is fabricate by a calendering process. The membrane separator may be configured with a polymer network to provide selectivity for ion transport across the membrane separator. The membrane separator may be further adapted with an integrated spacer in contact with a negative electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans
  • Publication number: 20230299318
    Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery system may include flowing an electrolyte from an electrolyte storage tank to a multi-stage rebalancing reactor, the multi-stage rebalancing reactor comprising reactor vessels grouped to form stages. Hydrogen gas may be injected into the electrolyte upstream of the multi-stage rebalancing reactor via a gas line and a metal ion of the electrolyte may be chemically reduced by oxidizing the hydrogen gas at a catalyst bed of each of the reactor vessels to maintain a charge balance of the electrolyte and a pH of the electrolyte within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Timothy J. McDonald, Kenneth Fisher, Sean Kissick
  • Publication number: 20230282862
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly interposed by two endplates and comprising a plurality of mated membrane frame plates and bipolar frame plates forming, at a mated interface, a plurality of negative and positive flow channels configured to distribute negative and positive electrolyte into a plurality of bipolar plates. In the battery a membrane is coupled to each of the plurality of membrane frame plates and positioned sequentially between two of the bipolar plates included in the plurality of bipolar plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song
  • Publication number: 20230268541
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a bipolar plate for a redox flow battery. In one example, the bipolar plate is fabricated by a roll-to-roll process. The bipolar plate includes a non-conductive substrate that is coupled to a negative electrode on a first surface and coupled to a positive electrode on a second surface, the first surface opposite of the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventor: Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 11728497
    Abstract: A rebalancing reactor for a redox flow battery system may include a plurality of reactor vessels arranged in stages, each vessel of the plurality of reactor vessels housing a catalyst bed. In one example, the rebalancing reactor is fluidly coupled to an electrolyte storage tank and configured to flow electrolyte through the plurality of reactor vessels, enabling a chemical rebalancing of electrolyte in the redox flow battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Timothy J. McDonald, Kenneth Fisher, Sean Kissick
  • Publication number: 20230253601
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly having a plate assembly positioned on a lateral side of the cell stack assembly and comprising an elastic flange including a recess mated with a section of a conductive plate and compliant in at least one of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, and a plate frame coupled to the elastic flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song
  • Patent number: 11710843
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly interposed by two endplates and comprising a plurality of mated membrane frame plates and bipolar frame plates forming, at a mated interface, a plurality of negative and positive flow channels configured to distribute negative and positive electrolyte into a plurality of bipolar plates. In the battery a membrane is coupled to each of the plurality of membrane frame plates and positioned sequentially between two of the bipolar plates included in the plurality of bipolar plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ESS Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song
  • Patent number: 11688874
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a bipolar plate for a redox flow battery. In one example, the bipolar plate is fabricated by a roll-to-roll process. The bipolar plate includes a non-conductive substrate that is coupled to a negative electrode on a first surface and coupled to a positive electrode on a second surface, the first surface opposite of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventor: Craig E. Evans
  • Patent number: 11670792
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly having a plate assembly positioned on a lateral side of the cell stack assembly and comprising an elastic flange including a recess mated with a section of a conductive plate and compliant in at least one of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, and a plate frame coupled to the elastic flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ESS Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Sean Casey, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song