The instantly rechargeable battery that could revolutionize electric cars (and mean you'll never have to sit by a power point to charge your phone again) dailymail.co.uk Jun 2, 2017 11:00 PM Many see the benefits of an electric car, but choose a gasoline model due to the time commitment needed to charge the eco-friendly vehicles. Now, researchers have unveiled an 'instantly rechargeable' method that is said to reach full power in the same amount of time it takes to refill a gas tank. The innovation is a membraneless battery that uses fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids - eliminating recharge time and reducing the need for new infrastructure to support re-charging stations. Scroll down for videos

The instantly rechargeable battery that could revolutionize electric cars (and mean you'll never have to sit by a power point to charge your phone again)

dailymail.co.uk

Jun 2, 2017 11:00 PM

Many see the benefits of an electric car, but choose a gasoline model due to the time commitment needed to charge the eco-friendly vehicles.

Now, researchers have unveiled an 'instantly rechargeable' method that is said to reach full power in the same amount of time it takes to refill a gas tank.

The innovation is a membraneless battery that uses fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids - eliminating recharge time and reducing the need for new infrastructure to support re-charging stations.

Scroll down for videos 

Researchers have unveiled an 'instantly rechargeable' method that is said to reach full power as fast as it takes to 'refuel a gas tank'. The innovation is a membraneless battery that uses fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

Purdue University's innovation is a membraneless battery that uses fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids - eliminating recharge time and reducing the need for new infrastructure to support re-charging stations. 

The spent battery fluids or electrolyte could be collected and taken to a solar farm, wind turbine installation or hydroelectric plant for re-charging. 

The team has claimed that charges at the same time it takes drivers to fill up a gas tank.

The components are also safe enough to be stored in a family home, are stable enough to meet major production and distribution requirements and are cost effective 

The technology was developed by a team of scientists at Purdue University, who believe the breakthrough could expedite the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.

'Electric and hybrid vehicle sales are growing worldwide and the popularity of companies like Tesla is incredible, but there continues to be strong challenges for industry and consumers of electric or hybrid cars,' said John Cushman, who is a professor at Purdue and the co-founder of Ifbattery.

'The biggest challenge for industry is to extend the life of a battery's charge and the infrastructure needed to actually charge the vehicle.'

'The greatest hurdle for drivers is the time commitment to keeping their cars fully charged.'

Current electric cars need convenient locations built for charging ports.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are powered with electricity stored in a battery pack, which in turn operate an electric motor and turn the wheels. 

When depleted, the batteries are recharged using grid electricity, which can be done via a wall socket or charging station.

'Designing and building enough of these recharging stations requires massive infrastructure development, which means the energy distribution and storage system is being rebuilt at tremendous cost to accommodate the need for continual local battery recharge,' said Eric Nauman, co-founder of Ifbattery and a Purdue professor.

'Ifbattery is developing an energy storage system that would enable drivers to fill up their electric or hybrid vehicles with fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids much like refueling their gas tanks.'

The spent battery fluids or electrolyte could be collected and taken to a solar farm, wind turbine installation or hydroelectric plant for re-charging.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are powered with electricity stored in a battery pack, which in turn operate an electric motor and turn the wheels. When depleted, the batteries are recharged using grid electricity, which can be done via a wall socket or charging station

'Instead of refining petroleum, the refiners would reprocess spent electrolytes and instead of dispensing gas, the fueling stations would dispense a water and ethanol or methanol solution as fluid electrolytes to power vehicles,' Cushman said. 

'Users would be able to drop off the spent electrolytes at gas stations, which would then be sent in bulk to solar farms, wind turbine installations or hydroelectric plants for reconstitution or re-charging into the viable electrolyte and reused many times.' 

'It is believed that our technology could be nearly 'drop-in' ready for most of the underground piping system, rail and truck delivery system, gas stations and refineries.'

However, the team has claimed their membraneless battery eliminates recharge time and reducing the need for new infrastructure to support re-charging stations

Mike Mueterthies, Purdue doctoral teaching and research assistant in physics and the third co-founder of Ifbattery, said the flow battery system makes the Ifbattery system unique.

'Other flow batteries exist, but we are the first to remove membranes which reduces costs and extends battery life,' Mueterthies said.

Ifbattery's membrane-free battery demonstrates other benefits as well.

'Membrane fouling can limit the number of recharge cycles and is a known contributor to many battery fires,' Cushman said.

'Ifbattery's components are safe enough to be stored in a family home, are stable enough to meet major production and distribution requirements and are cost effective.' 

Report a problem.