Prof. Maria Natalia R. Dimaano, Ph.D., an academic staff of the UST Faculty of Engineering and Program Lead for Engineering Graduate Programs, presented a paper titled “Thermal stability of Vanadium redox flow battery electrolyte in the Philippines” at the 6th International Conference on Chemical Engineering, Food and Biotechnology 2023 (ICCFB 2023) and the 27th Regional Symposium on Chemical Engineering (RSCE 2023) held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Dimaano’s research team is currently working on the first-ever research project on Vanadium redox flow battery energy storage system (VRFB-ESS) in the Philippines which can potentially bring more stable and cheaper electricity to the country. The ongoing project aims to analyze the performance of the system considering the Philippine climate and to evaluate its potential economic benefits.
In a parallel session, the research presentation discussed the stability of the prepared electrolyte in different temperature conditions and how the country’s climate could affect the operation of the energy storage system. Dimaano explained that studying the thermal stability of the electrolyte for VRFB-ESS application is essential for establishing a good operating condition for its potential incorporation in power microgrids in the Philippines.
The paper presented is part of a collaboration between UST and De La Salle University (DLSU) seasoned researchers that include Prof. Christina A. Binag, Ph.D. and Assoc. Prof. Felicidad Christina Ramirez-Peñafiel. The research is funded by the National Research Council of the Philippines and DLSU in a tripartite partnership.
The conference, whose primary goal was to promote research and developmental activities in chemical engineering, food, and biotechnology, was attended by professors, researchers, industrial practitioners, and students from countries including Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.