SBIR-STTR Award

PSI will adapt and combine two previously demonstrated, mature technologies to provide a comprehensive solution to the battery thermal runaway early warning problem. The resulting technology will support rapid, sensitive and selective detection of vent gases spanning 1-1000 ppm. This is accomplished by first encoding the source spectrum from 2-12 micron, supporting robust discrimination between chemicals and an elevated signal to noise ratio due to the multiplexed measurement. The spectrally modulated source is used to make sample transmission measurements over 2-12 micron and a 50x range of pathlengths leveraging a compact open-path sample cell. This data is fit along two dimensions (pathlength and wavelength) to Beers Law, resulting in a quantification and discrimination immune to source instability or other common mode noise. Under the Phase I, PSI will leverage in-house hardware to demonstrate the key features of the two parent technologies as applied to the battery thermal runaway problem. These two technologies will then be integrated under the Phase II to produce a complete solution for early vent gas detection that can be used to improve the reliability, cost and safety of battery powered vehicles for Navy applications.

Benefit:
The proposed research will demonstrate the potential for pre-existing technologies to address the need for early warning of battery failures by thermal runaway for both defense and commercial sensors. This solution will successfully address both reliability and safety concerns relevant to battery powered technologies from unmanned underwater vehicles for mine hunting applications to EV vehicles.

Keywords:
early warning, early warning, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles, thermal runaway, vent gas, Battery Monitoring

Imperia Batteries, a division of Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), will design, fabricate, and demonstrate a lithium metal battery for use in a Navy undersea system application. The battery is anticipated to increase the mission time of the target device by 50% and reduce the total lifecycle cost. Under this effort, Imperia will finalize the cell design and demonstrate the required performance and shelf life. Imperia will also refine the existing battery frame and electronic safety device (ESD) designs to support the lithium metal cell chemistry and mechanics. Finally, Imperia will produce and deliver cells and modules to support UN 38.3 testing and S9310 evaluation of the battery. At the end of the effort, Imperia will provide a transition plan to the Navy highlighting the current manufacturing readiness and ability to transition to Low Rate Initial Production. This effort will bring the lithium metal battery to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 and Manufacturing Readiness Level 8. Throughout the effort, Imperia will work closely with the Navy to coordinate design strategies and test methods.

Benefit:
This battery will increase the available energy over the current lithium-ion based system by 50%. Alternatively, the battery could be used to downsize the mass and volume of the existing system, reducing costs related to materials/manufacturing and those associated with support systems such as thermal management, battery management, casing, and logistics. The battery design and component technologies could similarly provide extended operation, reduced costs, and increased capability to a variety of DOD and commercial applications.

Keywords:
module, Primary, lithium metal battery, Safety, high energy