Long duration hybrid power source for undersea operations Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-030 Topic Title: Long duration hybrid power source for undersea operations Proposal No.: N161-030-0513 Firm: Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. 44 Hunt Street Watertown, Massachusetts 2472 Contact: Urmila Shirwadkar Phone: (617) 668-6975 Web Site: http://www.rmdinc.com Abstract: We propose to develop a compact, hybrid, self-contained, quiet, and safe power source for the Shallow Water Surveillance System consisting of an integrated power source for rechargeable batteries, which will be kept fully charged or recharged with energy from a beta particle source. RMD is pioneering a new concept in betabatteries based on incorporating long life beta emitting isotopes directly into a high-brightness scintillator. Betabatteries provide an extremely high energy density, which can provide a long term stable and reliable source of power, without a need for either refueling or exposure to sun, wind, waves, or other environmental source. The proposed technology uses a self-irradiated scintillator and a photodiode which converts the light into electric power. In this effort we will develop CsI scintillator doped with radioactive thallium-204, which is a pure beta source with 3.7 years half-life. This technology will enable a compact, portable power supply station for recharging electronic devices. A system weighing less than 80 pounds would provide up to 10 watts for up to 3 years. It can also be used as an integrated hybrid lithium/betabattery device to increase the useful life of a rechargeable battery from a period of months to years. Benefits: Anticipated Benefits The suggested technology will provide useful power for increasing the time on station for underwater coastal systems. RMD's technology overcomes issues that currently limit the maximum power and efficiency of traditional radio-isotope batteries. With this new method, beta batteries will be able to provide either direct power to low power electronics or a trickle charge to a high density rechargeable battery to increase its life during the mission use. The choice of materials ensure long term and safe operation. This, along with advances in low power microelectronics and in circuit power management will allow betabatteries to be used in a wide range of applications. Commercial Applications The proposed batteries are suitable for any sensor that needs to operate over the period of years in covered locations with no external intervention and no possibility for maintenance or access to environmental power. The targeted application is for increasing the shelf life of a rechargeable battery using a betabattery trickle charge. In addition to this, however, there are a multitude of applications to which this technology can be applied. These include military, medical and industrial applications for both reserve power, such as for computer servers and emergency equipment, as well as for directly powering devices. Examples of these markets in each area are military markets such as anti-tamper circuits, back-up power for micro-controllers and FPGAs, personnel status monitors for soldiers, ultra-low powered RFID, powered smart cards for ID cards & tags, Health Usage Management Systems (HUMS), nuclear detection; medical markets such as physiological implants for cancer markers or glucose, neurologic implants for Parkinson's disease patients, hearing implants for middle and inner ear, cardiac implants, pumps and mechanical drug delivery; and industrial markets such as building occupancy monitoring, road and bridge stress monitors, industrial process control, HVAC monitoring (temperature, biological), monitors in deep mines and underwater. Return