Ultra-High Internal Battery Heat Transfer Navy SBIR FY2015.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2015.1 Topic No.: N151-073 Topic Title: Ultra-High Internal Battery Heat Transfer Proposal No.: N151-073-1099 Firm: Mainstream Engineering Corporation 200 Yellow Place Pines Industrial Center Rockledge, Florida 32955 Contact: Josh Sole Phone: (321) 631-3550 Web Site: http://www.mainstream-engr.com Abstract: Current battery systems reject the generated waste heat via conduction to the external surface of the battery. This approach is adequate with low charge/discharge rates in small batteries, but is insufficient in the high rate, large-format battery cells required for supporting pulsed power naval applications. High internal temperature gradients and peak temperatures reduce battery performance, capacity, and safety. Mainstream has proposed a novel battery cell design integrating an internal heat removal mechanism. The approach is lightweight, inexpensive, and reliable, providing a new thermal pathway out of the battery with a thermal conductivity 200x higher than existing options. Modeling suggests that this approach significantly improves thermal performance relative to external cooling strategies, and its potential will be demonstrated in a proof-of-concept cell in Phase I. Benefits: Developing simple, reliable high-rate battery packs for naval applications requires substantial improvements to the heat removal characteristics of large battery packs. Current thermal management solutions are insufficient, creating risks both in naval and commercial applications. In a battery failure event, this can even lead to thermal runaway, which has been cited as responsible for fires in Boeing 787 Dreamliners and several automotive vehicles. A robust, inexpensive battery cooling system will have significant benefits not only to the Navy, but also to automotive, aircraft, electric utility, and other applications. Return