The electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC) is a new technology, developed at Drexel University, for grid energy storage that is based on the fundamental principles of supercapacitors. The EFC concept benefits from the advantages of both supercapacitors and flow batteries in that it is capable of rapid charging/discharging, has a long cycle lifetime, and enables energy storage and power to be decoupled and optimized for the desired application. The unique aspect of the EFC is that it utilizes a flowable carbon-electrolyte suspension (slurry) for capacitive energy storage. Similar to traditional supercapacitors, this aqueous based slurry is limited in terms of energy density, when compared to batteries. At Drexel, working with Prof. C. Kumbur, we are looking at increasing energy density of the flowable electrode through enhancing the capacitance via pseudocapacitive means, and the voltage window through the use of organic electrolytes.
