Investigating the use of vanadium redox flow batteries in transport applications

Abstract

Vanadium redox flow batteries in transport applications have the potential to help bring down the carbon footprint of the transport sector as global efforts transition towards greener transportation. A vanadium redox flow battery has been electro-thermally modelled in a coastal application with electrolyte swapping, where the two ports have large redox flow batteries to provide a means to swap electrolyte. It was found that by incorporating pre-chambers in the electrolyte swapping process the resulting state of charge of the system after swapping was higher, thus extending the range of the ferry. It was also found that by introducing cooling in the port electrolyte tanks, after swapping, the temperature of the ferry electrolyte was kept within the optimal temperature range, meaning the ferry itself did not need a battery cooling system. Operational costs were similar to that of the original diesel system, while offering a threefold reduction in CO2. Vanadium redox flow batteries were then explored in bus use-cases, where the battery was hybridised with fuel cells, and explored in standardised bus drive-cycles and real-world driving bus routes. The technologies complimented one-another, where the long lifespan (25 years) and fast response of the vanadium redox flow battery helped extend the lifespan of the fuel cell by reducing fuel cell dynamic loading, and the fuel cell helped extend the range and power of the overall system.

Thesis under embargo until 31st July 2026.

Date of Award	Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council & Horiba Mira Ltd
Supervisor	Peter Nockemann (Supervisor), Stephen Glover (Supervisor) & Rob Watson (Supervisor)