Short Communcation: Flexible Two-in-one Micro Sensor for Integration in Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

The important physical parameters inside the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) are difficult to be measured accurately. They have critical influence on the vanadium redox battery performance and life cycle. Due to the uniformity and expendable nature of solution distribution, it will cause the phenomenon of uneven temperature distribution during the power generation process. As the vanadium pentoxide molecules are solid at normal temperature, once they are formed, the flow of vanadium electrolyte is affected severely. Particularly, the runner is even blocked, so that the heat carried away by the electrolyte flow is reduced, and inside the vanadium redox flow battery temperature rises continuously. However, the present bottleneck is outside, theory and simulation. The real information inside the vanadium redox flow battery cannot be obtained accurately and instantly. Therefore, according to the demand for internal in-situ microscopic diagnosis of vanadium redox flow battery, this work applied the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology to develop a flexible two-in-one (temperature and flow) micro sensor, which is embedded in the vanadium redox flow battery for in-situ microscopic sensing and diagnosis.