New Alkaline Battery System for the Oceanographic Market
The new Energy Sales Pressure-Tolerant Battery System (PTBS) is an alkaline battery solution specifically for the oceanographic community, set to be unveiled at Oceanology International North America, February 14-16, in San Diego.
Energy Sales, Inc. said its new design replaces the need for housings made of titanium or other costly advanced composite materials. Working with the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab (UW/APL), the company sought to develop a cost-efficient battery solution specific to the deep ocean – depths that range from 1,800 to 3,000 meters.
“Collaborating with UW, we’ve been able to not only identify and design in better cost efficiency, but to demonstrate a remarkable cost/performance breakthrough with the PTBS,” said Jean-Michel Bourdon, CEO at Energy Sales.
The PTBS is designed for untethered applications with long deployments such as data loggers, Sonde devices (used to measure conductivity, temperature and depth of the ocean) and bottom pressure recorders like those used on DART II Tsunami detection and warning systems. The PTBS operates as deep as 3000 meters and in temperatures as low as two degrees Celsius. It features a scalable design from 14 to 42 cells resulting in energy output flexibility from 360 to 900 Watt-hours (Wh). In addition, by using alkaline cells, the new system requires no United Nations (UN) transportation testing or certification.
"We worked with Energy Sales on this novel battery solution in our position as an Oceanography hub and have the resources needed to design, test, and review new battery approaches to powering oceanographic sensor systems. This pack designed by Energy Sales will reduce our costs for short term applications,” said Chris Siani, Sr. Electrical Engineer at APL/UW. “Load and pressure tests done at my lab show that this battery pack design operates well at pressures up to 4,400 psi (~3,000m), without the need for costly steel or titanium housings. We are looking forward to using this new battery pack in upcoming projects."
Energy Sales powers devices from tsunami buoys and self-locating datum markers (SLDMB) to manned and unmanned submersibles. For example, working with UW/APL and NOAA, Energy Sales powers the Environmental Sampling Processor (ESP), a device used to assay seawater to detect Harmful Algae Blooms that produce Domoic Acid—a potentially lethal toxin for humans that can be found in shellfish.