Energy FAQ

Question:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory had a project on aluminum-air batteries that was discussed in their house magazine.  A few years ago, the project was turned over to private industry.  It was not obvious from the article whether this was because the project was a success or because it was a failure or for some bureaucratic reason. I suggest writing to Public Affairs Office Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California USA and asking for information about their project.  They’ll at least give you pointers to articles and reports. — John McCarthy, Computer Science Department, Stanford, CA 94305 * He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I have a friend in Germany doing his Ph.D research on using aluminium as >alternative energy source for power plants.  He would like to know if >there are people doing this kind of research in the US.  Any comments and >info are wellcome. >I just remember an article, that was about 10 years ago inside the German >magazine: Elektronik, from Franzis Verlag Munich. >There was reported about a development about a aluminium-air battery, >which had a super current/weight density, which was at least 10 times as >big as the conventional lead-batteries. >It was said, that cars can be powered easily by this battery type and that >the range of such a car was at least 500 KM. … >But what has happen to this type of battery ? Now 10 years have gone and it >was claimed 10 years ago, that this battery had already left it’s prototype >status and would be soon introduced to the market ! >Was this invention too good ? Or where there technical problems ? >Who knows more about it ?

There was an advertizement for Al/air batteries in Sci. American a year or two ago.  I sent off for the info packet.  They are being made and sold commercially.  I’ve got the info packet burried around here somewhere … I can spend a few hours and dig it up if there is a real demand for the info …  The packet mostly was aimed at large commercial UPS users since the Al had great standby capacity (keeping a few hundred kVA of lead/acid batteries charged and wattered for standby use would NOT make my day either…)  Not much of interest for the technophile … though they did have some kind of ‘intro kit’ for demonstrating the technology. — E. Michael Smith  …!sun!apple!ems ‘If you can dream it, you can do it’  Walt Disney This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. (Including but not limited to: typos, spelling, diction, logic, and nuclear war)

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