Brandt, Luke (2024) An Environmental Controls Analysis for a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB). [USQ Project]
![[img]](https://sear.unisq.edu.au/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text (Project – redacted)
Brandt_L_Thesis_Redacted.pdf Download (10MB) |
Abstract
The outlook on electricity system on the global scale in recent years has reflected the changing societal viewpoints towards environmental sustainability. In turn, electrical distribution companies such as Ergon Energy or Energex (with parent company Energy Queensland) have adapted their network structure and responses to safely and successfully harness these technologies successfully. Renewables are a main driver for the change on the grid but introduce complexities such as a lack of system inertia. Issues such as this can be addressed by technologies such as batteries. They are thus vital for ongoing operation of the everchanging network structure, and limitations need to be considered. One such battery solution is the recent operational emergence of the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB).
Emerging technologies can, however, introduce new problems to solve and with sustainability as a point of issue, the environmental impact of these technologies needs to be understood more effectively. Thus, the project aim is to conclude what are the major driving elements for a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery’s impact on the environment. This is to inform the development of an environmental controls framework that addresses risk management processes through business controls. The framework provides a logical and streamlined approach towards the assessment of all projects in an environmental capacity, whilst focusing on the current issue of the VRFB. This has been achieved through investigative analysis of:
• Clarifying site conditions such as climatic, legal and other operating limitations by investigating Energy Queensland circumstances.
• Identification of potential unknown relationships through a quantified literature analysis.
• Reliability assessments of individual components using probability to assess what conditions significantly affect system reliability.
• Risk Analysis with industry feedback to best inform a draft decision risk matrix to populate the draft controls framework.
Upon completion of these tasks, the environmental controls framework draft was completed to provide simplicity and scalability through implementation. The findings have found a link between climatic concepts and operational implications but have also led towards next steps of business integration.
Limitations are found with minimal exposure to industry values through lack of resources as well as with time affecting the analysis outcomes, such as a series of life cycle assessments unable to be undertaken. The overall understanding of VRFB’s in an operational capacity is relatively unknown and as such can find limitations in consistent literature outcomes. This means that obtaining more understanding of best use cases will be a matter of using the technology and adapting developed policies around new findings, where the environmental controls framework will assist in providing that flexibility.
|
Statistics for this ePrint Item |
| Item Type: | USQ Project |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Engineering (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Bowtell, Les |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Power) |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Oct 2025 23:58 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Oct 2025 23:58 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | environmental impact; sustainability; Vanadium Redox Flow Battery |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/53021 |
Actions (login required)
 |
Archive Repository Staff Only |
