This definitely isn't something for prime time yet. It may be near gasoline by weight, but what is needed is by volume, where the battery, with all its safety devices and case, are near what that equivalent of fuel would be, or even within an order of magnitude.
If this can be scaled to work in vehicles, and if it can get enough air to "breathe" while discharging, this would change RV-ing in a lot of fundamental ways:
1: Shore power would be more useful, as one could completely charge a rig before boondocking. A couple nights at a CG would give enough charge for a week of dry camping.
2: Solar and wind towers would become immensely more useful. One would not need to worry about fuel if the solar system were large enough.
3: People would be able to choose their fuel source when not on shore power, and the generator would be used at its max effectiveness.
4: When plugged into a S&B house, normally the RV could just trickle charge, but in case of a power failure, the RV would double as a large UPS, keeping power in the house going, perhaps for days.
5: Most of the annoying RV appliance issues would go away. Compression refrigerators are very reliable and don't need to be level. Electric heaters are highly efficient, both furnaces and water heaters. Electric stoves can be placed on flat countertops making more room in the kitchen when not cooking.
6: New advances would be easy for more RV-friendly electrical appliances. RV makers could build in heat strips in the plumbing and tanks, so those stay above freezing without worry about using propane. A hot water recirculator could be built to keep a small amount of water flowing back into the FW tank preventing freezing in extremely cold temperatures.
I'm hoping this battery IBM develops pans out -- it would help a lot with boondocking.
the energy density in watts/lb compares favorably to gasoline. However, the energy density in watts/cuft is way less than gasoline or propane. In other words, it takes lots more space for the same amount of energy storage. That said, I suspect the energy density in watts/cuft is WAY WAY higher than a conventional lead acid flooded cell, so it is attractive in that way.
I'll bet the first application is going to be hearing aid batteries. They already have zinc/air batteries for hearing aids with pretty high energy weight density. This would be a natural.
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
2004 14' bikehauler with full living quarters
2004.5 Silverado 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison
mexbungalows
Had to smile at your recall. We always knew of that lever with the curved point as a "church key" and I still use my Simson 270, way better than digital
Art.
Anything to keep Pb in the ground where it mostly belongs! I happen to like fuel cell technology for recharging. If there were only a cheap environmentally responsible way to manufacture, store and transport liquid hydrogen.
It's coming, believe me.
I come from the era of adding machines, typewriters, phonographs, and meters that used mirrored faces to reduce parallax error. Beer in tinned steel cans needed a lever with a curved point on the end to open the can. Stick a nickel in a pay phone and then jam the coin return with your palm to save 5 cents on a call.
Lead acid is obsolete as am I.
Glad to see lead go away but I'm not so sure about me :-)
Not sure how they compare energy density as when you burn gas only 1/3 becomes mechanical energy, 1/3 heat to the radiator, 1/3 heat out the exhaust. (roughly)
Li-air with same density should be able to convert close to 80% into mechanical energy as it produces primarily electricity.... or does it produce a bunch of heat as the Li burns?
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