Grid Storage

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

This is a important development, related to renewable energy which will be critical for our long term energy supply:

http://www.ted.com/talks/donald_sadoway_the_missing_link_to_renewable_energ y.html

[Steve Martin]

Excellent presentation. Thanks for sharing.

[Sheepdog 44]

Out of curiousity, what do you think the range of a tractor trailer carrying a 2mwh molten battery trailer would be?

[NeilBlanchard]

Or, maybe a train with a few of these as battery pack cars?

[PatQ562]

As noted in another thread, this battery system is aimed at utilities who need "big, cheap and long-lived". As such the designer is properly thinking in terms of cost and stability, not weight and portability. The three molten layers remain separate due to gravity but I can't imagine they would tolerate being sloshed around. Not a candidate for mobile applications.

Pat Q

[SEGsby]

They could probably be used on a large ship and power railguns...

[Schrodinger]

Originally Posted by SEGsby

They could probably be used on a large ship and power railguns...

Nah, that amount of peak discharge is just begging for a capacitor bank.

[NeilBlanchard]

Grid storage is incredibly important, and we will all benefit if it can be implemented. Bring it on!

[randyd]

Originally Posted by PatQ562

The three molten layers remain separate due to gravity but I can't imagine they would tolerate being sloshed around. Not a candidate for mobile applications.

True. Bad things will happen if the salt barrier is breached by the two metals.

Let me further point out that at "room temperature" the liquid metal battery is no longer liquid, which means that it can be transported safely by any typical means. Once in place and stationary, it can be heated and used. Very slick.

[smilingcat]

So what size of blast furnace do you need to get it to the operating temperature. Mg melting point is around 640C (1200F). I'm sure you could alloy it to reduce the melting point. But still.. and how much energy will you be losing through radient heat? Can you insulate it well enough?