- Rapid-response utility scale energy storage can cut in half the power costs of pumped hydroelectric and energy-capacity costs of current battery systems, and can deliver in minutes-to-hour range. This process takes advantage of excess electricity during off-peak hours, and converts that electrical energy to chemical energy, and stores that energy in the form of Tungsten metal, which can be recovered later during times of high demand. Two main processes occur:
- STORAGE: Steam is broken into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), and the H2 reduces tungsten oxide (WO3) to tungsten metal (W)
- RECOVERY: On demand, steam (H2O) and W mix to form WO3 and H2
- An animation of the process:
- Solid Oxide Membrane (SOM) based processes for mixed waste magnesium/magnesium oxide (Mg/MgO) recycling. This process can re-use old, partially oxidized magnesium scrap metal to make pure magnesium metal (that, for example, can be used to make cars lighter and therefore more efficient), we use electrochemistry to remove the oxygen from the MgO, and also remove other "contaminant" elements (zinc, copper, etc)
- Potentiometric sensor development for real-time monitoring of multivalent ion concentrations in LiCl-KCl molten salt eletrorefining. Ceramic sensors are used in electrochemistry-based nuclear waste recycling to provide control for and to safeguard for the recycling process.
- Development of novel low temperature cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). New materials allow solid oxide fuel cells to operate more efficiently at lower temperatures.
- Read a more detailed description of the SOFC research.
- An animation of the process: