Does Sodium-Ion Battery Chemistry Represent a Legitimate (I Hate To Use the Word) “Breakthrough?”
Generally, I’m extremely skeptical of claims about breakthroughs in battery technology. As they say, “There are lies, damn lies, battery specifications, and battery salesmen.” For some reason however, I have a tendency to believe the gist of this article on sodium-ion, as a replacement chemistry for lithium-ion (perhaps because it comes with the imprimatur of Gary Tulie, 2GreenEnergy super-supporter).
In essence, we’re talking about something that could approach the performance of lithium-ion at much lower cost and with better safety. This seems credible given the relative abundance of sodium vs. lithium, and the advantages of the chemistry vis-à-vis the absence of unwanted characteristics like self-heating. Needless to say, this is a very big deal for the adoption curve associated with electric vehicles.
I’ll be particularly interested in reader feedback on this one.
I think this system here
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2015/08/hawaiian-home-a-solar-battery-storage-microgrid-showcase.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RenewableEnergyNewsRssFeed+%28Renewable+Energy+News+RSS+Feed%29
uses these batteries here
http://www.aquionenergy.com/energy-storage-technology
Brian
I think this system here
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2015/08/hawaiian-home-a-solar-battery-storage-microgrid-showcase.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RenewableEnergyNewsRssFeed+%28Renewable+Energy+News+RSS+Feed%29
Uses these batteries here
http://www.aquionenergy.com/energy-storage-technology
Brian
Aquion is indeed using a form of Sodium Ion battery – with an exceptional design life of >5000 full depth cycles (possibly a lot more), extreme tolerance to abuse so that there is no need for sophisticated and expensive battery management systems, and possibly the least toxic, most sustainable battery on the planet. (You could apparently eat or drink small quantities of anything found in this battery without ill effects, though I believe it tastes terrible!- the electrolyte is I understand somewhat similar in composition to sea water.)
Where the Aquion is good is for static electricity storage such as for solar powered telecommunications towers, where it is weaker is for transport applications where its low energy density is a serious drawback (though perhaps it might have a function on electric canal barges and as backup power on board ships).
The Faradion battery is different, and can be made in any of the form factors used for Lithium ion. What’s more, it has already achieved similar useable energy density to lithium batteries.
Another BIG advantage of the Faradion battery is its exceptional resistance to overheating.
Typical lithium batteries used in cars can suffer thermal runaway if their temperature exceeds 90 centigrade – with temperature rising as much as 4000 centigrade per minute leading to intense fires and or explosions.
Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are safer with the threshold temperature at 100 centigrade and a maximum self heating rate of 150 centigrade a minute.
The Faradion Sodium batteries do not reach the threshold of thermal runaway until 150 centigrade, and then heat by no more than 52 centigrade per minute.
I could well see airlines being very interested in this battery for on board battery systems – especially in view of the fire on board a Boeing 787 dreamliner caused by a Lithium battery.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/boeing-787-dreamliner-fire-investigators-urge-battery-safety-review-n412466