Patents by Inventor Liyu Li

Liyu Li 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: 11189854
    Abstract: A method for determining a storage capacity or average oxidation state (AOS) of a redox flow battery system including an anolyte and a catholyte includes discharging a portion of the anolyte and catholyte of the redox flow battery system at a discharge rate that is within 10% of a preselected discharge rate; after discharging the redox flow battery system, determining an end OCV; and determining the storage capacity or AOS from the end OCV. Other methods can be used to determine the storage capacity or AOS using a measured OCV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CREEK CHANNEL INC.
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Patent number: 11097945
    Abstract: A method for making an aqueous hypochlorous acid (HClO) solution includes electrolyzing a solution of sodium chloride to produce a solution of sodium hypochlorite; and producing the aqueous hypochlorous acid solution by adjusting a pH of the solution of sodium hypochlorite to a value within a range of 3 to 8 by adding a selected weak acid to the solution of sodium hypochlorite to produce a buffer including the selected weak acid and a salt of the selected weak acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: COUGAR CREEK ELECTROLYSED WATER, LLC
    Inventor: Liyu Li
  • Publication number: 20200373595
    Abstract: A method for determining a storage capacity or average oxidation state (AOS) of a redox flow battery system including an anolyte and a catholyte includes discharging a portion of the anolyte and catholyte of the redox flow battery system at a discharge rate that is within 10% of a preselected discharge rate; after discharging the redox flow battery system, determining an end OCV; and determining the storage capacity or AOS from the end OCV. Other methods can be used to determine the storage capacity or AOS using a measured OCV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Publication number: 20200373594
    Abstract: A method for determining an average oxidation state (AOS) of a redox flow battery system includes measuring a charge capacity for a low potential charging period starting from a discharged state of the redox flow battery system to a turning point of a charge voltage; and determining the AOS using the measured charge capacity and volumes of anolyte and catholyte of the redox flow battery system. Other methods can be used to determine the AOS for a redox flow battery system or use discharge voltage instead of charging voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Publication number: 20200373600
    Abstract: A redox flow battery system includes an anolyte having chromium ions in solution; a catholyte having iron ions in solution, where a molar ratio of chromium in the anolyte to iron in the catholyte is at least 1.25; a first electrode in contact with the anolyte; a second electrode in contact with the catholyte; and a separator separating the anolyte from the catholyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Publication number: 20200373601
    Abstract: A redox flow battery system includes an anolyte having a first ionic species in solution; a catholyte having a second ionic species in solution, where the redox flow battery system is configured to reduce the first ionic species in the anolyte and oxidize the second ionic species in the catholyte during charging; a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, where the first electrode includes channels for collection of particles of reduced metallic impurities in the anolyte; a second electrode in contact with the catholyte; and a separator separating the anolyte from the catholyte. A method of reducing metallic impurities in an anolyte of a redox flow battery system includes reducing the metallic impurities in the anolyte; collecting particles of the reduced metallic impurities; and removing the collected particles using a cleaning solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu LI
  • Publication number: 20200373602
    Abstract: A system includes a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte, a catholyte, a first half-cell having a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell having a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, and a first separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell. The system also includes a balance arrangement that includes a balance electrolyte having vanadium ions in solution, a third half-cell having a third electrode in contact with the anolyte or the catholyte, a fourth half-cell having a fourth electrode in contact with the balance electrolyte, and a reductant in the balance electrolyte or introducible to the balance electrolyte for reducing dioxovanadium ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Patent number: 10826102
    Abstract: A system includes a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte, a catholyte, a first half-cell having a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell having a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, and a first separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell. The system also includes a balance arrangement that includes a balance electrolyte having vanadium ions in solution, a third half-cell having a third electrode in contact with the anolyte or the catholyte, a fourth half-cell having a fourth electrode in contact with the balance electrolyte, and a reductant in the balance electrolyte or introducible to the balance electrolyte for reducing dioxovanadium ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CREEK CHANNEL INC.
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Patent number: 10777836
    Abstract: A system includes a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte having chromium ions in solution, a catholyte having iron ions in solution, a first half-cell having a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell having a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, and a first separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell. The system also includes a balance arrangement that includes a balance electrolyte having vanadium ions in solution, a third half-cell having a third electrode in contact with the anolyte or the catholyte, a fourth half-cell having a fourth electrode in contact with the balance electrolyte, and a reductant in the balance electrolyte or introducible to the balance electrolyte for reducing dioxovanadium ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: CREEK CHANNEL INC.
    Inventors: Kui Wei, Liyu Li
  • Publication number: 20190379079
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a composition for producing a vanadium electrolyte includes a vanadium compound and an ion solution containing vanadium ions and hydrogen ions. In another embodiment, a method for producing a vanadium electrolyte includes obtaining a vanadium compound, and mixing the vanadium compound with an ion solution containing vanadium ions and hydrogen ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yueqi Liu, Liyu Li, Chenxi Sun, Richard O. Winter, Zhenguo Yang
  • Publication number: 20190319289
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery string including at least first and second redox flow batteries and an outside power source includes: providing a least first and second redox flow batteries in a string electrically connected in a string, and each redox flow battery having a state-or-charge (SOC); obtaining an SOC value for each redox flow battery in the string; identifying a target SOC value in the string; and adjusting the SOC value for at least one of the first and second redox flow batteries to correspond to the target SOC value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chenxi Sun, Jinfeng Wu, Liyu Li, Jacob Parks, David Ridley
  • Patent number: 10333159
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery string includes providing a plurality of redox flow batteries, each redox flow battery in electrical communication with at least one other redox flow battery, and each redox flow battery comprising an anolyte storage tank including a quantity of anolyte, a catholyte storage tank including a quantity of catholyte, and an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks; obtaining an open circuit voltage value for each redox flow battery in the string; identifying a predetermined open circuit voltage value in the string; and adjusting the open circuit voltage value for each redox flow battery to correspond to the predetermined open circuit voltage value. A redox flow battery string system includes a plurality of redox flow batteries each redox flow battery in electrical communication with at least one other redox flow battery having an open circuit voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Chenxi Sun, Jinfeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20180375132
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a redox flow battery includes an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with anolyte and catholyte working electrolytes, and a primary OCV cell to measure the potential difference between the positive and negative working electrolyte, and a reference OCV cell to measure the potential difference between the reference cell working electrolyte, which is one of the anolyte and catholyte working electrolytes, and a reference electrolyte, wherein the reference electrolyte has a known potential. In another embodiment, a method of operating a redox flow battery includes calculating the potential values of the anolyte and catholyte working electrolytes based on the known potential values of the reference electrolyte and the first and second potential difference values obtained from the primary OCV cell and the reference OCV cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Guanguang Xia, Qingtao Luo, Lijun Bai, Jinfeng Wu, Yueqi Liu
  • Patent number: 10135087
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery string including at least first and second redox flow batteries and an outside power source includes: providing a least first and second redox flow batteries in a string electrically connected in a string, and each redox flow battery having a state-or-charge (SOC) and an electrical load, wherein the electrical load for at least one of the first and second redox flow batteries in the string is powered by the outside power source; obtaining an SOC value for each redox flow battery in the string; identifying a target SOC value in the string; and adjusting the SOC value for at least one of the first and second redox flow batteries to correspond to the target SOC value by using a portion of stored energy in the at least one first or second redox flow battery to supply power to the electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chenxi Sun, Jinfeng Wu, Liyu Li, Jacob Parks, David Ridley
  • Publication number: 20180331383
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a cell in a redox flow battery includes a first flow frame for flow of a catholyte, a second flow frame for flow of an anolyte, and a separator between the first flow frame and the second flow frame, wherein the separator has a first side and a second side and an outer perimeter, and a gasket-and-separator assembly including a gasket assembly laminated to the separator, wherein the gasket assembly seals the outer perimeter of the separator on the first side and the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Jinfeng Wu, Liyu Li, Lijun Bai, Qingtao Luo, Guanguang Xia, Yueqi Liu
  • Publication number: 20180166725
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery includes: providing a redox flow battery configurable to be in off and on states and to be in an islanded state , the redox flow battery including an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with anolyte and catholyte storage tanks, wherein a portion of the anolyte and a portion of the catholyte is contained in the electrochemical cell, and wherein the redox flow battery is at least partially charged; identifying the redox flow battery to be in an off and islanded state; maintaining stored energy in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell when the redox flow battery is in the off and islanded state; and using the energy stored in the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell to start the redox flow battery and enter the on state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chenxi Sun, Jinfeng Wu, Liyu Li, Jacob Parks, David Ridley
  • Publication number: 20180166726
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery string including at least first and second redox flow batteries and an outside power source includes: providing a least first and second redox flow batteries in a string electrically connected in a string, and each redox flow battery having a state-or-charge (SOC) and an electrical load, wherein the electrical load for at least one of the first and second redox flow batteries in the string is powered by the outside power source; obtaining an SOC value for each redox flow battery in the string; identifying a target SOC value in the string; and adjusting the SOC value for at least one of the first and second redox flow batteries to correspond to the target SOC value by using a portion of stored energy in the at least one first or second redox flow battery to supply power to the electrical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chenxi Sun, Jinfeng Wu, Liyu Li, Jacob Parks, David Ridley
  • Patent number: 9960443
    Abstract: Introducing multiple redox reactions with a suitable voltage range can improve the energy density of redox flow battery (RFB) systems. One example includes RFB systems utilizing multiple redox pairs in the positive half cell, the negative half cell, or in both. Such RFB systems can have a negative electrolyte, a positive electrolyte, and a membrane between the negative electrolyte and the positive electrolyte, in which at least two electrochemically active elements exist in the negative electrolyte, the positive electrolyte, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Wei Wang, Liyu Li, Zhenguo Yang, Zimin Nie
  • Patent number: 9941527
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery includes providing a redox flow battery including an anolyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of anolyte and an anolyte headspace, a catholyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of a catholyte and a catholyte headspace, and a gas management system comprising at least one open conduit interconnecting the anolyte headspace and the catholyte headspace for free gas exchange between the anolyte and catholyte headspaces, and a passive gas exchange device in gaseous fluid communication with the anolyte headspace, the passive gas exchange device configured to release gas from the anolyte headspace to an exterior battery environment when an interior battery pressure exceeds an exterior battery pressure by a predetermined amount, and operating the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Guanguang Xia, Jinfeng Wu, Chenxi Sun, Christopher Howard
  • Publication number: 20180019486
    Abstract: A method of operating a redox flow battery includes providing a redox flow battery including an anolyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of anolyte and an anolyte headspace, a catholyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of a catholyte and a catholyte headspace, and a gas management system comprising at least one open conduit interconnecting the anolyte headspace and the catholyte headspace for free gas exchange between the anolyte and catholyte headspaces, and a passive gas exchange device in gaseous fluid communication with the anolyte headspace, the passive gas exchange device configured to release gas from the anolyte headspace to an exterior battery environment when an interior battery pressure exceeds an exterior battery pressure by a predetermined amount, and operating the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Guanguang Xia, Jinfeng Wu, Chenxi Sun, Christopher Howard