Atraverda, a battery company based in Abertillery, Gwent, U.K. has signed a development agreement with the world's largest independent battery manufacturer, East Penn Manufacturing Company, based in Lyon Station, PA, U.S.
Atraverda's technology base is founded on the properties of an electrically conductive ceramic that enables the production of bipolar batteries that are smaller, lighter and have enhanced electrical performance over conventional technologies. Bipolar batteries use a substrate to hold the positive and negative active materials and act as a cell wall.
The ceramic, Ebonex® Technology is a titanium suboxide material and has a unique combination of metallic-like electrical conductivity along with the characteristic high corrosion resistance of ceramics. Ebonex® material for batteries is a resin bonded composite prepared from Ebonex® ceramic filler and a resin matrix.
Ebonex® Technology composite electrodes have revolutionized the design of batteries enabling true bipolar lead-acid batteries to be produced for the first time.
Ebonex® Technology ceramic is a metallic-type conductor having a conductivity that is comparable to that of carbon but with superior oxidation resistance. Its crystal structure of the titanium suboxides make for a combination of corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance and electrical conductivity. The conductivity of Ebonex® Technology ceramic material arises from the TiO layers and the chemical resistance from the TiO2 layers sandwiching and protecting the TiO layer.
A schematic cross-section through a bipolar lead-acid battery is shown below.
The components are housed in a container and current flow through the battery is provided by endplates (monopoles). The current passes orthogonally through each intermediate plate (bipole) in a uniform fashion. Each bipolar plate acts as a cell wall and has positive active mass (PAM) on one face and negative active mass (NAM) on the other face. A microporous glass fiber separator (AGM) defines the interelectrode gap and retains sulfuric acid electrolyte. The battery is sealed and maintenance free.
The number of processing steps for the production of bipolar lead-acid batteries is also far fewer. The result is a readily fabricated lightweight efficient product offering the greatly improved performance levels indicated in the table below.
Measure |
Conventional monopolar |
Ebonex® Technology Bipolar |
Wh/kg |
25-35 |
40-60 |
Wh/litre |
50-60 |
100-120 |
W/kg |
80-150 |
250-320 |
W/liter |
300-400 |
700-1000 |
A design study for a 36/42V automotive battery indicates that the weight and volume of a bipolar battery (20 Ah, 5 h rate, 10 kW) based on Ebonex® composite electrodes would weigh 15 kg and occupy a volume of less than 7 liters. In comparison conventional 36/42 V lead acid designs are expected to weigh 24-28 kg and have a volume of 9-11 liters.
Atraverda will engineer, produce and sell Ebonex® substrates to battery producers who will then design and build lead batteries for sale to both OEM’s and the replacement market.
East Penn Manufacturing Company was founded in 1946 and makes lead-acid batteries and accessories. It claims to have the world's largest, most modern single-site manufacturing facility.
The lead acid battery market is not dead as indicated by the products being developed by Atraverda, Firefly and Power Technology. Altraverda's technology seems somewhat comparable to NiMH batteries, but should cost less, as should all of these technologies. Firefly seems to have the superior product, having the most compact design with the least weight, but there is probably room for all in the marketplace especially for standard cars and HEVs. Only Firefly seems capable for competing in the PHEV and EV markets.
Seems to me that Firefly and Atraverda should get toegether and an Atraverda battery with a Firefly carbon-grahpite foam lead acid battery for even better weight/performance/w/kh.
Posted by: JJ | October 18, 2006 at 10:40 AM
Many Chinese manufacturers could combine both technologies and produce light weight, very low cost batteries (less than $1000 for 20 KWh) for practical low cost PHEVs and BEVs.
Imagine using Chinese made cars and you get a compact PHEV or BEV for less than $10 000, batteries included.
Even if you have to raplace the $1000 baterry pack every 4 or 5 years, it is still a good deal.
Posted by: Harvey D. | October 18, 2006 at 01:05 PM
These batteries weigh a ton and would be
a poor choice in all but the smallest auto hybrid battery packs, and only if the cost is very low. An electric car using these to achieve a 200 mile range would have a 2500 pound battery pack. It would double the weight of the car.
Posted by: kent beuchert | November 28, 2006 at 01:47 PM
We are very much intrested in the glass filled seperators. Could you please recommend us the best manufacturers of the same.
Thanks & Best Regards
Posted by: Swamiprasad Samant | February 26, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Sir
I have just been made redundant from Universal batteries and prior to that was at Fiamm uk ltd and Enersys, I was wondering if you would let me know of any shop floor positions become available my home address is 12 waunborfa road Cefn fforest blackwood gwent np12 3la tel 01443821745 I am available for immediate start, regards Christopher carey
Posted by: Christopher Carey | December 11, 2008 at 10:53 AM