Batteries

SmarTap has been developing a new technology for the next generation of thermostatic electronic faucets. This technology enables the user to monitor and control the water consumption in his property in real time. Shower systems based on this technology offer a unique shower experience combined with safety features and water and energy monitoring and saving capabilities. The systems supply water at the desired temperature and flow without wasting it: the shower will discharge water only at the desired temperature and flow.

Fuel cells are used to produce electricity. They are considered a promising technology to replace conventional combustion engines in vehicles. Fuel cells may also replace batteries in portable electronic equipment. The most widely used types of fuel cells for mobile devices are Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells (PEM FC) which are often used in vehicles, and Direct Methanol fuel cells, used in portable applications. PEM fuel cells use hydrogen or certain alcohols such as methanol as fuel.

Hybrid technology systems combine two or more technologies with the aim to achieve efficient systems. Possible combinations are: wind-solar photovoltaic (PV) hybrid systems, wind-diesel hybrid systems, fuel cell-gas turbine hybrid systems, wind-fuel cell hybrid systems, etc. (see the short descriptions below). Hybrid systems combine numerous electricity production and storage units to meet the energy demands of a given facility or community (Solar Energy Technologies Program, 2006).

Description of the project

The Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC) is an entity that supports the UNEP’s International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), based in Japan. GEC is dedicated to the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, in both developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The foundation aims to contribute to Japan’s international efforts on the environment, sharing project collaborations as well as promoting Japan’s rich conservation knowledge and experience in developing nations.

This technology provides materials and methods for the production of activated carbons from biochar where such activated carbons have specific area and pore volume characteristics. The activated carbons may be used for any purpose necessitating the need for them such as water purification air-cleaning solvent recovery catalyst supports and as an energy storage form. They may also be useful in the production of a super anode for a super capacitor or battery.

Background: Currently several approaches are available for the preparation of ordered structures at different length scales most notably the nanoscale. Despite a wide variety of efforts in nanostructuring materials the fabrication of hierarchically ordered structures at multiple length scales has remained an experimental challenge. Hierarchically ordered structures can be observed in some natural systems such as diatoms and materials of this nature are important for the study of structure-property relations as well as applications in various technologies.

Background: The International Energy Agency and the European Union estimates that more than 10% of the electricity used in homes and offices are wasted by devices that are simply plugged into outlets. If the trend continues with this so called “Vampire-energy” use the wasted energy will rise to 49 terawatt hours by 2014.

Betavoltaic batteries last up to twelve years without needing recharging. Historically the trade-off for this is a decrease in voltage output. This made these batteries good for remote electronics requiring low voltage and trickle re-charging systems. The low voltage output limited the devices in which they can be used. Technology Description:Researchers at the University of Missouri have overcome this low voltage problem and developed a high power betavoltaic battery source. This novel source has the potential to significantly extend the time between replacing batteries.

For high-power dc-dc dc-ac and ac-dc applications a power converter is introduced that transfers energy via resonant waveforms and that controls the outputs by pulsewidth modulation (PWM) Thanks to PWM the switching frequency is constant and the dc gain simple. Thanks to resonant waveforms the converter switches commutate at low voltage or low current resulting in high efficiency low noise and high power density. Examples of applications include bidirectional isolated battery charger power-factor corrector uninterruptible power supply and motor drive.