Sodium batteries have been in existence for more than 30 years, but GE’s acquisition of Beta R&D in 2007 jump-started applications for mobile and stationary energy storage. Durathon technology uses a sodium metal halide chemistry.
A renewable energy company has found a battery for its power-on-demand systems. Arista Power has selected GE’s new Durathon Battery. According to GE, Durathon is 50% smaller and 25% lighter than traditional batteries, so it stores more energy in a smaller space. The company says the batteries last up to 20 years, work in extreme temperatures, recycle, and require no cooling and minimal maintenance.
The Arista’s Power on Demand system reduces costs incured by electricity-demand charges, which, the company says, are based on a customer’s peak power demand and account for up to 30% to 70% of a commercial electric bill. The patent-pending system uses energy generated by wind turbines, solar PV, the electric grid, and other sources with a custom-designed battery and proprietary real-time demand monitoring.
GE’s battery consists of a nickel-chloride cathode, a beta alumina separator, and a liquid sodium anode. During charging, Cl is extracted from NaCl and combined with Ni to form NiCl2. The Na ions are then transported through the beta alumina to the anode reservoir. Discharge is the reverse of this process. Because sodium ions move easily across the beta alumina but electrons cannot, there are no side reactions, and therefore no self-discharge.
All materials are housed in a hermetically sealed steel case, which becomes the individual cell. Cells are then contained in a thermally insulated battery module. An integral battery management system is installed on all battery modules and controls charge/discharge, monitors battery parameters, provides battery protection, and passes information to the outside world through common modbus protocol.
Arista Power, Inc.
www.aristapower.com
GE Transportation
www.geenenergystorage.com
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