MHD Technologies Ltd. SCIENCE ~ Innovative Electro Magnetic Battery Technology Improvement

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	In a rechargeable battery there are two principal electrical components: the electrodes and the electrolyte. A battery is made up of individual cells containing a positive electrode (anode) and a negative electrode (cathode). The electrolyte is usually water with either acid (commonly sulphuric) or base (potassium hydroxide) added. But in Li-ion (patent applied for) an organic liquid such a cyclic carbonates which are more resistive to diffusion and migration and so increase of convection is much more important. Magnetohydrodynamics increases convection by as much as two orders of magnitude thus reducing the electrolyte resistance markedly. Li-ion Batteries Some recent work on thin, 3.8 mm camera batteries has been very successful. A magnetized battery discharged through a 10 ohm, 10 watt resister with a LED light in parallel to show when the discharge was complete discharged for 91 minutes compared to an identical battery that was not magnetized which discharged for only 51 minutes or there was an 80% increase in discharged power. On recharging, the magnetized battery recharged in 30 minutes which is to be compared to the 60 minutes the un-magnetized battery required. A provisional patent application has been made and a regular patent containing this data is in preparation. The consequences of this first set of crude experiments will be followed up with further experimentation. This proof of concept data has resulted in a series of new designs for traction batteries for hybrid automobiles. Zinc Air Batteries In concert with a small sports car manufacturer, a series of successful experiments with Zn-air batteries has resulted in successful cycling of a two electrode battery. The battery is of the size intended to be used in traction batteries to be constructed and tested in the near future. A two electrode battery with minimum separator was cycled five or six times, using both a magnetized and un-magnetized battery. The object was to test for fractals on recharging. The un-magnetized Zn electrode had a dull surface suggesting the beginning of fractals which has been the factor preventing Zn-air batteries from development. The Zn electrode of the magnetized battery had a dark but mirror finish. This result was not unexpected as in the academic paper (O’Brien and Santhanam, J. Applied Electroch. 20, 781 (1990)) the absence of fractals was noted and in recent experiments with electrodes of about 50 square centimeters in electrowinning and electrorefining of zinc none were noted. Strongly stirred electrodeposition of Zn has been noted by many researchers to give no fractals or “treeing” as it is sometimes called.
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	Nickel-metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery Tests Three six battery components for traction batteries were spiked with a paramagnetic indifferent ion, conditioned then tested by Vizon Scitec, Vanouver, an independent battery testing company. Three consecutive 100 ampere runs were recorded and labeled and differently coloured for identification. Plots were of Voltage vs Time at constant current of 100 amperes which is 14.3C (capacity) and a severe test. The three components were returned to Victoria and MHD Technologies Ltd. magnetized them with their patented trademarked magnetizer OBMII. The three components were shipped to Vancouver and Vizon Scitec hired to test them again. As before each component was tested three consecutive times and the recorded runs were coloured differently to identify each one. In all of the three components, the unmagnetized runs decrease in performance, that is in watt hours delivered as determined by integrating under the curves. Each successive run when magnetized also decreased, but not so steeply and the voltage was higher for a longer time, or the output of the batteries after magnetization was very much improved. It is worth noting that the unmagnetized runs were done first, before magnetization, or the severe test of 14.3C withdrawal of energy was performed before magnetization and the second set of three runs was done afterwards. The magnetized runs showed recovered higher starting voltage, recovered performance when the first run magnetized is compared to the first run unmagnetized. The recovery can be considered indicative of a restoration of the electrodes that should extend the cycle life of NiMH magnetized batteries.
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