The goal of this Phase II project is to develop, build, and test a unique, high power, 30 ampere hour (Ah), rechargeable lead acid battery which employs thin foil electrodes. Such a battery would be suitable for a variety of commercial and military applications such as engine start, hybrid vehicle, standby power, and pulsed power applications. Thin Metal Film (TMFtm) technology produces cells with the highest specific peak power of any known battery technology, producing power levels in excess of 5000/kg and 16,000 W/1 in small, 1.2 Ah cells. The project will be a scale-up of the smaller cells which are already in limited production. This proposal is Phase II of a Phase I TRP SBIR project (DTRS-57-94-C-00107) which mathematically modeled the performance of a 30 Ah battery. The TMFtm battery technology is very competitive with both flywheels and ultracapacitors for specific energy and specific power. TMFtm battery technology should prove to be significantly more cost effective than other high power battery technologies due to the low cost of lead, the recycling infrastructure already in existence for scrap lead-acid batteries, and the vast knowledge base for lead acid battery manufacturing. Anticipated
Benefits: The successful development and demonstration of this ultra-high power battery technology could provide a major contribution to zero- or low-emission vehicle designs currently being developed by Detroit. A zero emission military vehicle such as the Bradley hybrid vehicle, coupled with low infrared signature and a projectile launch capability will provide a "ground stealth" capability for weapons. New applications and devices will emerge as the capabilities of this new ultra-high power battery technology become better known.
