This chapter describes the basic principles of electrochemical energy storage and discusses three important types of system: rechargeable batteries, fuel cells and flow batteries. A rechargeable battery consists of one or more electrochemical cells in series.
Electrochemical energy storage systems have the potential to make a major contribution to the implementation of sustainable energy. This chapter describes the basic principles of electrochemical energy storage and discusses three important types of system: rechargeable batteries, fuel cells and flow batteries.
Besides the mentioned method of energy storage, there are also well known other energy storage methods, which include pumped-storage power plants, fuel cells, compression energy storage, supercapacitors, kinetic energy storage, electrochemical energy storage and superconducting magnetic energy storage [12, 13].
Electrochemical energy storage/conversion systems include batteries and ECs. Despite the difference in energy storage and conversion mechanisms of these systems, the common electrochemical feature is that the reactions occur at the phase boundary of the electrode/electrolyte interface near the two electrodes .
The principle of operation of electrochemical energy storage devices is based on the formation of a chemical reaction between the electrolyte and the electrodes contained in it. Then there is a shortage of electrons on one of the electrodes and an excess on the other. This allows chemical energy to be converted into electrical energy.
The complexity of modern electrochemical storage systems requires strategies in research to gain in-depth understandings of the fundamental processes occurring in the electrochemical cell in order to apply this knowledge to develop new conceptual electrochemical energy storage systems.