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CSIRO Media Release |
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| Ms Rosie Schmedding | (02) 6276-6520 | |||
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22 September 1998 |
Ref 98/223 |
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A new system that is able to meet the increasing need for power storage has been developed by CSIRO and commercial partner, cap-XX Pty Ltd.
"Markets are demanding increased run time from portable computers with extended power requirements, increased life time for rechargeable batteries, enhanced communication access through satellite phones, lower maintenance costs for remote power supplies, less environmental pollution through hybrid vehicles and improved electric power quality, in particular, ride through power for very short time power fluctuations," according to cap-XX pty ltd Chief Operating Officer Dr George Paul.
"These demands are being put to global players in computers, portable consumer and industrial devices, automobiles and transport and utilities."
The CSIRO/cap-XX project has produced the world's highest power density, commercially viable supercapacitor which enables all of these demands to be met.
This power storage device is ideal for applications involving quickly changing currents or power demands which stress or limit the performance of normal energy storage devices such as batteries, fuel cells, turbines and engines.
The supercapacitor is among the star attractions of Manufesto '98, the nation's premier science and industry fair which takes place in Melbourne this week from September 23-25, 1998.
Supercapacitors can be used either alone or in combination with another energy source, such as a battery. Using them together provides power from the supercapacitor and energy from the other energy source. This overcomes high power requirements which can not be met by the other energy source (e.g a fuel cell) or protects the battery from current surges and greatly increases the device's run time and the operational life of the battery.
"The supercapacitors have a number of advantages over batteries. For instance they are capable of providing a very high power level in a very short time. This is something that a battery cannot do," says CSIRO researcher Dr Tony Vassallo.
"They also can be charged and discharged almost indefinitely, the recharge rate is rapid, they require no maintenance and be made from non-toxic and relatively inexpensive materials."
"Batteries on the other hand are able to sustain their energy output for longer - if you need energy output for longer than 90 seconds you need to use a battery. So while supercapacitors won't replace batteries in all applications they work very well if you put them together," Dr Vassallo says.
In 1994 CSIRO Energy Technology began a research project to increase the energy density of capacitors. The challenge was to build on CSIRO's long-standing expertise in carbon science to produce a carbon to act as the electrode in the capacitor.
"We used carbon because it has a very high surface area. This technology depends on a high surface area to get a larger storage capacity," Dr Vassallo says.
The project has been undertaken in collaboration with cap-XX Pty Ltd, an SME formed to develop and commercialise CSIRO technology.
The result is an advanced design that allows the capacitor to be manufactured easily and with a very wide range of energy and power levels. In addition, cap-XX has formed strategic alliances with international customers in telecommunications, power and electric vehicle industries, which are already trialing the prototypes.
In 1998 the project was broadened to produce a high-power supercapacitor for application in telecommunications and hybrid electric vehicles.
"New telecommunications systems require high power for short periods of time. That puts a heavy load on batteries and they don't last very long. The capacitor can provide a longer lifetime for the battery and improved performance," Dr Vassallo says.
"At the larger end of the scale you have hybrid electric vehicles where you have a combination of an electric vehicle and a petrol vehicle. The capacitor can provide the power to accelerate the car, which eases up the load on the battery giving it a longer life," Dr Vassallo says.
Dr Paul sees major export potential in the product.
"The estimated global market for supercapacitors is large and growing fast. It has been estimated by the Scientific American that the global market for supercapacitors is worth US$2billion a year," Dr Paul says.
"While longer-term markets include hybrid electric vehicles for our product, the more immediate demand is for hybrid battery/supercapacitor applications in laptop computers, mobile phones and other portable devices," adds Dr. Paul. "All of these markets have global significance and we have had expressions of interest from major players in each field, particularly since our product has significant high power advantages when compared with other available supercapacitors."
Manufesto '98 will showcase more than 100 star technologies drawn from CRC's, CSIRO, Universities and some small companies. The conference will focus on the challenges and opportunities facing Australian researchers and industry as they take research to the global market.
The event is sponsored by CSIRO, Business Victoria and AusIndustry (Department of Industry Science and Tourism) with the support of the Australian Industry Research Group (AIRG) and the Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee (AVCC).
Manufesto '98 will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre 23-25 September 1998. The exhibition will be open 24 - 25 September.
More information:
Dr Tony Vassallo CSIRO (02) 9490 8862 or Dr George
Paul cap-XX (02) 9914 3703,
e-mail: geopaul@cap-xx.com
Media are welcome to attend. For a media pass please
contact: Rosie Schmedding 02 6276 6520 or 0418 622 653
More information is available on the Internet at: http://www.manufesto.csiro.au/
(Australia's largest scientific research organisation)
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