Dear Flow Battery Research Collective,
as part of the CIRCLE project at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences, our student group is preparing to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) for the Flow Battery Research Collective’s open-source redox-flow battery. If possible, we would like to take a look on the upscaled cell/stack/battery.
During our Zoom meeting on 19. November 2025, you shared several ideas for meaningful LCA topics. Based on your input, we developed two possible options that could support the ongoing development of the battery. To proceed, we would like to know which option you prefer or where you can provide the most useful data.
Option 1: Electrolyte–Membrane interactions
This topic focuses on how the electrolyte composition and membrane material affect each other, especially regarding efficiency and degradation.
Goal:
To assess the environmental impact and technical relevance of electrolyte–membrane interactions, and to perform a screening comparison of membrane and electrolyte choices from production to end-of-life.
Information we would need (please provide as much information as possible):
• How the selected electrolyte interacts with different membrane materials and which parameters are considered for choosing the electrolyte-membrane pairing
• Measured efficiencies of the current electrolyte-membrane selection
• Background on membrane selection in the development kit (e.g. which specific materials were chosen and why)
• How is the material wear currently counteracted (replacement only)?
• How is waste (wastewater, solid waste, co-products from chemical manufacture) disposed of?
Option 2: Electrolyte Leakage
Leakage is an important practical and environmental concern, and understanding its causes could support improvements in design, sealing, and material choice.
Goal:
To analyse the environmental implications of electrolyte leakage, identify contributing factors, and explore what design or material changes might minimise it.
Information we would need (please provide as much information as possible):
• How frequently leakage occurs (per cycle/per kit/in what percentage of the kits)
• How leakage is currently detected (refill volume, reduced power output, emissions, etc.)
• Whether it is monitored proactively or noticed after cycle completion
• Estimated amount of electrolyte lost per cycle
-> If no data is available, could it be collected by measuring leakage over multiple cycles?
• Whether leakage becomes more common with aging or due corrosion
• Current methods or design choices used to minimise leakage (e.g. sealing, welding, bonding)
We also have some general questions. More questions will probably arise in the future.
General questions:
• How much energy supply does a RFB require (for one cycle/in total)?
• Which electricity mix is currently used to operate the battery (is there a proportion of green electricity)?
• Where are the materials purchased? From which countries are they delivered and how (train, car, ship)?
• In which country are the batteries assembled and tested?
We would be happy to work on either topic, and we aim to select the one that is most helpful for the FBRC team and for which the necessary data can be provided.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and continuing our collaboration!
Kind regards,
Rieke Huesmann, Anita Thaqi, Stella Vucemilovic
