SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Energy is a critical enabling component of military operations and demand for it will continue to increase over the next few decades. Effective utilization of renewable energy could reduce demand for fuel for forward operating bases (FOBs), remote operating bases (ROBs), and expeditionary forces, and battlefields providing longer term energy solutions that support sustainment of technical superiority. The intermittent character of many alternative energy sources requires energy storage technology or redundant power supplies for improved energy storage. Influit Energy LLC (Influit) is proposing a novel approach for a closed-cycle energy storage ecosystem that embraces a rechargeable liquid energy storage format which provides a reliable, abundant, and continuous supply of energy. The proposed closed-cycle energy storage ecosystem is enabled by mobile flow battery “pods” that can be connected to a distributed or centralized sources of renewable energy, accumulating energy from intermittent sources. Once charged, the rechargeable liquid can be pumped or transported away from the pods to electric vehicles or other devices for use apart from the energy generation sites, while discharged liquids are returned to the pods for charging. The proposed closed-cycle operations eliminate the necessity of an electric grid for delivery of electricity to consumption centers, enable rapid refueling of electric vehicles and devices (critical for combat environment) as well as reduce vulnerability and increase security and reliability of energy storage systems at FOBs and ROBs. Influit’s solution builds on unique features of a novel rechargeable nanotechnology-based nanoelectrofuel (NEF) flow battery that meets demanding energy density targets for transportation and offers a cheaper, safer, environmentally friendly, rechargeable energy-storing fluid. NEFs are low viscosity suspensions of nanoscale battery materials in water-based electrolytes. The nanoscale size of the active materials enables stable suspensions, rapid charge/discharge kinetics, and high loading of solid electrode materials all resulting in a flow battery competitive with Li-ion batteries (~130 Wh/kg and 350 Wh/L at system level) and operating temperature range from -40oC to +80oC. The transformational aspect of NEF technology is in merging two well-established battery formats - solid battery chemistries with high energy density and the pumpable format of redox flow batteries. Influit’s unique process for preparing nanoscale electrode materials in aqueous electrolyte at high solid loadings enables high system level energy density in low viscosity liquids. Positioning rechargeable NEF batteries as an alternative to gasoline/fossil fuels. It enables rapid refueling and vertically-integrated energy storage ecosystems for ROBs and FOBs, covering energy needs of both stationary operations as well as transportation, removing reliance on 10X premium cost fossil fuels and shifting to renewable energy.
