Hyperdrive Technologies and OXIS Energy have announced a new project that will see the development of a battery that operates at extremely low temperatures.
The idea is to develop technologies that will enable high-energy batteries that have packaging and electronics that enable them to work in some of the most bitterly cold parts in the world.
This, of course, is not for use in consumer markets, but will instead come in handy for things like allowing the British Antarctic Survey to more easily and autonomously take scientific measurements without having to increase costs associated with things like transportation.
In the partnership, OXIS will aim to develop an electrolyte with extremely low temperatures for a Lithium-sulfur, or Li-s, rechargeable battery. Hyperdrive Innovations will be the company behind a chemistry-based battery management package, along with the packaging that will be able to stand up to the elements while outperforming other current battery technology. The British Antarctic Survey, or BAS, will serve as the project's first customer.
The result of the project will be a battery that can work in temperatures as low as -80 degrees Celsius, or -112 degrees Fahrenheit.
"We're particularly excited to have the opportunity to prove our Battery Management System (BMS) technology for use with this emerging cell chemistry working with BAS to tackle the challenges of designing an energy system capable of withstanding extremely cold temperatures," said Stephen Irish, the Managing Director of Hyperdrive, in a statement.
The use of Lithium-sulfur for the battery is interesting because of the fact that it has a theoretically much higher energy density than other Lithium-ion solutions. Lithium-ion technology is already on the market, while Lithium-sulfur technology is just now entering the market.
