Tri-Helical Anode Design for Zinc-Iodine Tubular Flow Batteries

The global shift towards renewable energy sources necessitates advanced energy storage technologies to ensure a reliable and sustainable electric grid. Zinc-iodine flow battery technology shows great promise for scalable energy storage, offering extended cycle life and the ability to independently scale power and energy densities. The tubular cell design enhances electrochemical performance by addressing the limitations associated with traditional planar configurations. However, the zinc wire anode in the tubular design is prone to form Zn dendrites, leading to potential short-circuiting. In this work, we introduce a tri-helical design for zinc anodes that extends cycle life to 250 cycles. Through three-electrode analysis, we found that the tri-helical design enhances the uniformity of zinc plating by improving the anode-electrolyte interface, promoting faster charge transfer, and mitigating dendrite formation. This technology is compatible with existing power infrastructures and supports grid stabilization and integration with renewable energy sources, which offers an exciting pathway for integrating renewable energy systems.