Electrochemical cell that shows promise of exceeding performance targets set by the Department of Energy for battery power and energy density in electric vehicles. Free of moving parts and external tanks, the cell operates at room temperature and is simple to construct from readily available materials. The new zinc-air battery could be easily renewed at service stations and give electric vehicles the same driving range as gas-fueled vehicles, while eliminating exhaust pollution.
An important feature of the cell is that one of the electrodes (zinc anode) is in the form of particles. The particles are stationary but the electrolyte moves through the bed without the use of an external electrolyte pump. That translates to energy, weight, and cost savings. The counter electrode is a commercially available air cathode manufactured by Electromedia Corporation.
Developed initially for use in electric vehicles, the cell would be "mechanically" recharged. That is, spent electrolyte and remaining particles would be suctioned from the cells and replaced with a slurry of fresh particles and electrolyte. This mechanical recharging is expected to take minutes at the equivalent of a gas station--no time is wasted on conventional electrical recharging. The spent particles could then be regenerated locally or in some regional facility (the equivalent of a refinery or tank farm) by demonstrated electrochemical techniques. The battery is designed to deliver a peak power of 55 kW at the end of discharge. Energy capacity to time of minimum voltage is 62 kWh.
E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is currently seeking industry
partners for continuing research and development of Zinc-Air and other Battery
technology that will benefit E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
the partners involved, and end users of any products produced. Available
for licensing. US Patent #5,006,424.
Technology Transfer Department
E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
MS 90-1070
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 486-6467 FAX: (510) 486-6457
http://www.lbl.gov/Tech-Transfer/techs/lbnl768.html
Battery, Electric Vehicle, Automotive, Remote Power, Power Storage, Medical, Zinc