ABSTRACT

With an electrolyte solution the consumer delivers the spent electrolyte back
to the filling station where it is re-charged by either local power
generation or the national power network. Just pump the spent electrolyte
out and pump in freshly charged electrolyte literally, liquid electricity. The
discharged liquid is also reusable: it can be recharged and then pumped into
other vehicle, which makes it an eco-friendly solution. The MIT researchers
have named their new battery design the semisolid flow cell. The battery
stores electric energy as a liquid called Cambridge Crude. When the energy
in the liquid is exhausted, all users have to do is head to a charging station to
pump out the old liquid and pump in a new batch of fully charged liquid.
Recharging of this liquid will take place at the refueling station using special
recharging equipment that will be part of the overall system. Liquid
electricity takes the form of a vanadium redox battery technology. We can
change the electrolyte in these type of batteries.

INTRODUCTION
Transportation is one of the fastest growing energy demand sector. We
currently spend huge amounts of time and energy getting oil . While electric
vehicles (EVs) are stated to be the vehicles of the future, a number of factors
are holding people back from switching over from regular vehicles right
now. Researchers from MIT have developed a new battery that is said to
solve these problems. We just need to swap the electrolytes in these
batteries. The discharged liquid is also reusable: it can be recharged and then
pumped into other vehicle, which makes it an eco-friendly solution.
Liquid electricity is a fictional liquid substance that often appeared in
comedy short films of the silent film era. It is the "distilled essence of
electricity" in liquid form, a (usually) glowing substance easily stored in
bottles. It provides fantastic energy and super-speed when used as a fuel for
automobiles, aircraft, and machines of all sorts. One variant of liquid
electricity could be drunk by humans, who often did so for humorous effect
in silent film comedies.
The use of "liquid electricity" as a comedic plot device was often used by
filmmakers as a way to present "speeded-up motion" and demonstrate the
use of this special effect in film. The motion picture industry was in its
infancy in the early 20th century, and the use of slow motion and fast motion
effects

were

new

novelty

to

movie-going

audiences.

In

1987's Spaceballs, a similar substance called "Liquid Schwartz" is used to

power a spaceship in the same manner as liquid electricity. Comcast's
commercials for its "high-speedInternet" service portrayed a similar

substance (a mercury-like substance that could be rubbed onto machines,

shoes, or even drunk) that was used, again, for a comedy punchline.
The use of liquid electricity is seen as an early form of science fiction in
film, and a number of the early short films that used this substance (most of
which have been lost) are classified as "science fiction" films

CONCEPT
A vanadium redox battery consists of an assembly of power
cells. in which the two electrolytes are separated by
a proton exchange membrane. The electrolyte in the
positive half-cells contains VO2+ and VO2+ ions, the
electrolyte in the negative half-cells, V3+ and V2+ ions.
The

electrolytes

may

be

prepared

by

electrolytically

dissolving. vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) in sulfuric acid

(H2SO4). In vanadium flow batteries, both half-cells are
additionally connected to storage tanks and pumps so that
very large volumes of the electrolytes can be circulated
through the cell. When the vanadium battery is charged, the
VO2+ ions in the positive half-cell are converted to VO2+
Similarly in the negative half-cell, V3+ ions into V2+. This
circulation of liquid electrolytes is somewhat cumbersome
and does restrict the use of vanadium flow batteries in
mobile applications. Liquid electricity provides us a chance
to leave behind the technology involving the emission of fine
dust, carbon dioxide and noise. offer almost unlimited
capacity simply by using larger and larger storage tanks, It

provides a means to supplement farmers income by

providing them a chance to utilize the space on their
properties to build wind turbines,solar collectors or bio mass
plants. It would end the use of food plants such as corn and
sugarcane to produce ethanol, a practice that is already
driving the price of food almost beyond the reach of the
worlds poorest populations Reduce the expenditure of huge
amount of time and energy getting oil from various locations,
refining and transporting it to local fuel stations. Its very
eco-friendly than conventional vehicles. Thats because
only 20% of the energy from gasoline or diesel actually
reaches the wheels, whereas in an electric car its 60%. Price
of the petroleum products gets reduced.
Davidson was one of many individuals to propose solutions to alleviate
overstressed grids and to address the shortage of properly sited generation.
Four hundred attendees debated the near-term impact of electricity derived
from solar power, wind energy, fuel cells and microturbines. But what really
caught and held my attention was a technology developed and
commercialized by National Power, which enables utilities to store
significant quantities of off-peak electricity in large storage tanks.
Listen to Davidson's story. Ten years ago, he was an engineer in the
Technology Strategy Department of the Central Electricity Generating Board
(CEGB). Regulators soon split up the CEGB and sold it off in sections.
Davidson found himself working in newly formed National Power, one of
three privatized generating companies. Competitive pressures resulted in

downsizing that boggles the mind. The staff at National Power was reduced
from 12,000 to 4000. Ouch, that hurts.
But, somehow, in the midst of this downsizing, National Power management
acknowledged they could not survive the long term if they focused solely on
cutting costs. New high-margin products and services were needed.
Therefore, engineers and scientists were selected and charged with creating a
new future for National Power.
One team focused on building a bigger, better energy storage system.
National Power's chemists set out to investigate electrolytes, ultimately
selecting sodium bromide and sodium polysulfide. To charge what is, in
effect, a reversible fuel, sodium ions are transferred through an ion exchange
membrane. Charged fluids are stored in individual tanks, which are sized
according to a customer's energy needs. Electricity is extracted by reversing
the process.
The open circuit voltage of individual cells is approximately 1.5 V dc. A
commercial 100-kW module comprised of 200 cells will thus output 300 V
dc. Modules are linked hydraulically in parallel, electrically in series to give
the desired voltage. Approximately 16 m superscript 3 (21 yd superscript 3)
of each electrolyte is needed for each megawatt-hour of storage. A powerconditioning unit provides the interface between the grid and the direct
current modules.
Systems can be designed to respond within 20 msec, which enables load
shaping and voltage shifting. Systems also can be designed with large tanks
to provide megawatt-hours to be dispersed over hours or days. After four

years of tests at National Power's Aberthaw Power Station, the company

completed the design of a 15-MW/120-MWh utility scale energy storage
plant that will be placed alongside a 680-MW combined cycle gas turbine
(CCGT) power station at Little Barford, Cambridgeshire, U.K. Construction
is expected to take about 18 months. This installation will provide black start
for the turbine and also will be used for frequency and voltage control as
well as electricity trading (arbitrage).
Davidson expects this technology to play a sig-nificant role in supporting
T&D grids. In addition to supplying power during peak loads, the system
can inject or absorb megavars to improve power system stability and
increase line capacity. Early applications are predicted to have an installed
cost of US$1500 per kilowatt of peak power. Subsequent installations are
expected to cost in the range of US$750 per kilowatt. Several utilities in the
United States have shown strong interest in this technology. In fact, the
Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S., has just announced
its interest in installing National Power's Regenesys Energy Storage System.
Let's face it, until regulators and legislators figure out how to properly
provide incentives for utilities to construct new facilities, we will continue to
see generation, transmission and distribution facilities stressed. We must find
and exploit alternatives such as the regenerative fuel cell so that we can
reliably supply power to our customers.

CONCLUSION

Liquid electricity provides us a chance to leave behind the technology

involving the emission of fine dust, carbon dioxide and noise. This project
has very bright chances regarding being technically and economically
feasible someday. Lets hope the future automobile will run on
electricity and not gasoline and we get everybody to convert to Electric
Vehicles, which is better for our planet.

REFERENCES

www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.seminartopic.com