Posted on 06/08/2011 5:00:36 PM PDT by dangerdoc
Researchers at MIT reckon they've struck oil. In fact, you're looking at what they call "Cambridge crude" -- a substance that could halve the weight and cost of EV batteries and make them quicker to charge too. The black goo is packed with a high concentration of energy in the form of particles suspended in a liquid electrolyte. When separated by a filter, these particles function as mobile electrodes that can be pumped into and around a system before the energy is released. So instead of waiting up to 20 hours to juice your Nissan Leaf, you could potentially just pump this pre-charged substance into it -- rather like dirty old gas. Until now, no such "semi-solid flow cell" has been able to hold useful quantities of energy, but this stuff literally oozes with it. Not only could it power EVs, it could even be used for large-scale electricity storage for utilities. The researchers insist this energy revolution is years off -- but when it comes, there will be blood.
And I suppose the goo tank, theoretically, could be simultaneously emptied back into the filling station reservoir so that the used goo could be recharged?
Could work.
Or, how about a system that swaps out more solid pre-charged batteries?
The latter could be vulnerable to some problems, though. Swap junk batteries for good.
It sounded interesting.
Regular or premium goo?
A dark liquid that holds alot of potential energy...only instead of pumping it out of the ground, you have to make it.
I’m no MIT researcher; but, I’ve got a theory:
Mining coal out of the ground, burning it to convert potential energy into mechanical energy, converting said mechanical energy into electrical energy, transmitting said electrical energy for hundreds of miles, and converting back into potential energy in this ooz....is probably less efficient than just putting a fossil fuel in a car. Just a hunch.
Doing a battery swap isn’t efficient because the number, because even if you could quickly do a swap, the number of batteries needed to service the average number of customers a day would fill a large warehouse.
I agree.
The EV thing only works rationally if you get your juice from hydro or nukes.
The latter could be vulnerable to some problems, though. Swap junk batteries for good.
Would be OK if you just leased the batteries, a bit like the propane tanks from your hardware store - turn an old one in and get a new one...
This, not you, is stupid... We don’t have the capicity in the grid to handle it.
I have a much simpler solution: DRILL BABY DRILL!!!! AND SELL THE DAMNED OIL AND TO HELL WITH OPEC!!! Sorry for shouting but I’m sick and tired of stories about krazy-kooky-enviro-friendly energy’’, ‘’electric cars’’ solar power’’ ‘’green jobs’’. It’s all a lot of neo-Marxist bs to turn us into Belgium. Drill here for the damned oil and do it now!!
This is already available in Japan. I believe they might be testing it in SF and possibly NY too.
I can think of some real benefits.
The biggest problem with coal is that it is difficult modulate power as needed. In general power companies will run coal for baseline load 24 hours a day and cycle on and off more expensive NG turbines as the load changes. If there were a less expensive way to store electricity, the entire load could be generated with cheaper coal.
It would be a pretty good way to back up power in an industrial or commercial setting.
It may even be a good way to power a car too, who knows.
I totally agree.
New tech stuff is fun from a “thought experiment” perspective but, what we need to do now is utilise what we have that we know works.
Thank you. So much of this “green” nonsense is based on foolishness and ignores the simple fact that most electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels or using nuclear power.
Your hunch is not entirely correct for a couple of reasons having to do with efficiency. A gasoline engine is about 15% fuel to wheel efficient, not counting the cost of crude in the Middle East to refined gasoline in your tank. Coal plants are quite efficient as is the conversion of electricity to mechanical energy in an electric motor.
The real issue is capital cost because of the battery, lifetime, range, and performance.
As always, I ask: where does the electricity come from?
Scientific speak for this stuff has huge negatives that we never mention in these attention grabbing PR releases.
I can just see it..”OK folks, at the count of three, everyone plug in. One, Two, Three!” ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP. The grid melts down and the whole country goes dark.
I’m betting on unicorn farts as the ultimate energy source.
(Does that make me a Dimocrat?)
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