[Discuss] My God! It's Full of Batteries!

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

On 03/16/2012 02:01 PM, Richard Pieri wrote:
> On 3/16/2012 1:28 PM, Jerry Feldman wrote:
>> This gives rise to the need for a new type of battery. The carbon
>> nano-tube appears to be a leading contender for future batteries either
>> with Li-ion or alone.
>
> I see batteries as being a dead end.  They're entropic, which is a
> fancy way of saying that they wear out with use.  It's inescapable.
>
> I see room-scale broadcast power as being the real game-changer.
> Resonant inductance won't replace batteries, but it will change how
> they are used.  Batteries won't be primary power sources.  They'll be
> buffers to cover short term signal loss when moving between rooms or
> while commuting.
>
> Resonant inductance works on the small scale.  Our "good friend" RFID
> operates on resonant inductance.  RI power has been demonstrated at
> real world room scales.  It's not yet cost effective but solving that
> is just a matter of time.
>
I would agree for the longer term. Batteries w/wired recharge will still
be a primary power source for many years to come. But, chemical
batteries (lead acid, Lithium-ion, NMH, ...) are on their way out. New
types of batteries will be coming to market, at first led by tablets
that need additional power and much lower weight. Carfbon nano-tubes are
capacitors that do not lose their charge rapidly. These fit well into
your resonant inductance. RI is a chicken-egg issue that over time will
probably replace the current recharge by wire. The nano-tube works into
this technology. But in the short term, each generation of portable
computer needs more powerful power storage devices, along with faster
recharge times. But, the need to newer batteries in cars is also pretty
high. Pure electric vehicles like the Leaf and Tesla will need a
increase their range and reduce recharge times. 8-10 hours is just
unacceptable. I could live with a Volt where my commute is short, but
also where I need a longer travel time on occasion. I think it will take
another few years before we see significantly improved battery technology,

-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
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