Optimised Design of CERENERGY Battery Pack
Perth, Oct 24, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Altech Batteries Limited (
ASX:ATC) (A3Y:FRA) is pleased to announce that optimised design of the Company's 60KWh battery pack is now completed following final design collaborations with component suppliers.
The 60 KWh battery pack design has undergone a makeover, now sporting a sleek stainless-steel exterior (previously painted blue) with the prominent CERENERGY(R) logo on top and "ALTECH Batteries" engraved at the bottom. The Company has increased confidence that the stainless-steel finish will have a better ability to endure extreme temperature variations, be it in snowy or desert conditions, while maintaining its pristine appearance.
The battery's casing is equipped with a vacuum-sealed, double-sided enclosure that provides optimal insulation. Operating at approximately 270 degrees Celsius internally, it is crucial to minimise heat transfer losses and ensure the safety of human contact with the battery's exterior. The base of the battery has been further reinforced to accommodate high-temperature-resistant electrical cables and connectors, minimising heat loss to the outside environment.
To counter the issue of cold starting, heating pads have been integrated into the internal vacuum-packed casing. The heating process typically takes around ten hours before the battery is fully activated. Once initialised, the battery efficiently sustains its internal temperature with minimal reliance on the heating pads.
Further enhancements have been made to the five internal frames each housing 48 cells, optimising their performance. The connector plates, responsible for electrically linking the cells while maintaining insulation (using mica insulation), have been meticulously designed by the Altech team. The cells are connected through precise laser-targeted welding. Figure 2* shows the cross-section of the pack casing and assembly frames holding 48 cells in each frame.
Prototype Battery Packs
As announced previously, two working prototype ABS60 KWh batteries have been ordered from the Fraunhofer Institute partners. These packs are already in production, with roughly half of the required cells completed. The production capacity is limited by the size of pilot plant equipment and kiln capacity at the Fraunhofer Institute but excellent progress has been made. To date, completed cells are performing as expected.
Whilst the cells are being fabricated, the first stainless-steel vacuum-sealed battery case has been delivered to the Fraunhofer Institute in Dresden. Prior to assembly of the battery cells, the battery casing will undergo comprehensive heat transfer loss testing as well as temperature profiling by the Fraunhofer scientists. The cells will be assembled in the pack once they are completed and further cycling and long-term performance tests will be conducted on the battery packs.
Following a recent workshop in Germany, Group Managing Director Iggy Tan commented on the optimisation of the battery design and progress of the prototypes and stated "We are extremely pleased with the new stainless-steel design of the 60 KWh batteries. These will be able to operate in the snow, as well as desert conditions, without the finish being affected. The vacuum-sealed casing will provide the perfect insulation and minimise any heat loss, which is the key benefit of our sodium chloride solid-state batteries. The production of the prototype batteries is progressing well. The produced cells are performing well under bench performance testing and it will be great to see the whole 60KWh unit under performance load. This is the first time our partner Fraunhofer has made such a large battery unit".
*To view photographs, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/OUSZ76O6
About Altech Batteries Ltd
Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS ("Fraunhofer") to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.
The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.
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