The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) is the most promising type of rechargeable power sources for medium- and large-scale energy storage devices for modern power systems. The intensive research and development activity of leading world centers aimed at optimizing the key element of the VRFB—the membrane electrode assembly (MEA)—necessarily includes testing new electrode materials, catalytic layers, electrolytes, and membranes, as well as their combination in the test cell. Here, an original design of an MEA test cell is proposed that significantly simplifies the assemblage procedure and makes it possible to increase the flow field variability by replacing massive graphite or graphite/polymer plates with sheets of extruded thermally expanded graphite. The current–voltage and power density characteristics have been measured and charge–discharge cycle tests of the MEA operation have been performed for an acidified vanadium electrolyte. The peak power density, charge–discharge cycle energy efficiency, and capacity utilization are comparable with those reported by leading research teams.

中文翻译：

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钒氧化还原液流电池膜电极组件的测试电池

钒氧化还原液流电池（VRFB）是现代电力系统中大型储能设备最有前途的可充电电源类型。世界领先中心的密集研发活动旨在优化 VRFB 的关键要素——膜电极组件 (MEA)——必然包括测试新的电极材料、催化层、电解质和膜，以及它们在测试细胞。在这里，提出了一种 MEA 测试单元的原始设计，该设计显着简化了组装过程，并可以通过用挤压热膨胀石墨片代替块状石墨或石墨/聚合物板来增加流场可变性。测量了电流-电压和功率密度特性，并对酸化钒电解液进行了 MEA 操作的充放电循环测试。峰值功率密度、充放电循环能量效率和容量利用率与领先研究团队报告的相当。