Case 15230

Thermo-Adsorptive Battery

Keywords:

Thermal batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), Advanced Thermo-Adsorptive Battery (ATB) Climate Control System

Applications:

The technology provides a compact, high cycle-life cooling and heating strategy to provide on-demand climate control. Among other applications, the system could be used to extend the driving range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by providing heating or cooling without draining the on-board electric battery bank. The ATB could also be integrated into residential or commercial structures, where it would provide environmentally-friendly heating and cooling via the capture and reuse of waste heat.

Problem:

The energy storage densities of electric batteries are much lower than those of gasoline and other liquid fuels, and there are few effective alternatives for direct storage of heat. The use of traditional electrically-powered climate control systems severely limits the driving range of many BEVs. Additionally, electrically-powered heating and cooling systems for residential and commercial structures are a major cause of grid overload in many parts of the U.S.A.

Technology:

The technology uses novel zeolite and metal oxide framework adsorbent materials to achieve high vapor sorption capacities and sorption rates at low relative pressures, which can potentially increase the driving range of an EV by 30% compared to contemporary climate control technology. Furthermore, the novel design of the thermal battery enhances heat and mass transport for most efficient utilization of the high-performance materials. The overall system design is flexible and modular, and the technology can be easily scaled to meet heating and cooling demands of large commercial and residential units.

Advantages:
  • Energy storage density: provides high-capacity heat storage with little or no electrical power consumption
  • Enhanced heat and mass transfer: offers rapid charging, controlled discharge and better adsorbent utilization than conventional adsorption-based climate control systems
  • Environmentally friendly: system can be recharged using waste heat, and uses water and alcohol rather than harmful and polluting HCFC refrigerants

Inventors:
  • Professor Evelyn N. Wang(Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Shalabh Chandra Maroo (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Young Suk Nam (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Ryan Enright (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Ian Salmon Mckay (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Shankar Narayanan (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)

Intellectual Property:

U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 13/657302, filed October 22, 2012

PCT Patent Application Serial Number PCT/US2012/061311, filed October 22, 2012

Publications:

“Advanced Thermo-Adsorptive Battery Climate Control System”, U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, 2011

Last revised: December 13, 2012

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