idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐙𝐌, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐙𝐧𝟐𝐇𝟐 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐥-𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐜 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐀𝐈 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
As artificial intelligence has become commonplace, the world needs more and larger data centers. But whenever a new data center is planned, attention has to be paid to what happens when a blackout strikes. In that critical moment between when power from the grid is lost and the emergency generators ramp up, UPS systems - uninterruptible power supplies - jump into the breach and keep things running. However, when the UPS is underpowered or components break, vital services, safeguards, or backup mechanisms may fail and important data could be lost.
UPS depend on batteries to work - on batteries designed to provide all of the power needed for that critical moment until more regular emergency supplies take over. Current systems often use lithium-ion batteries, but they are not a perfect match for the job: They are heavy and expensive and can be a fire hazard.
The startup Zn2H2 Inc., in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM, aims to develop a new generation of nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries as an alternative to lithium batteries that are smaller, lighter, safer, and more affordable.
𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰-𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬
The basic mechanism behind NiZn batteries has been known for more than a century, but the technology has struggled with breaking through in the market because the batteries used to be complicated to produce and could not keep up with the number of charging cycles of other types.
Fraunhofer IZM has more than two decades of experience with zinc batteries, making it no surprise that the startup Zn2H2 is located at Start-A-Factory, the R&D incubator lab of Fraunhofer IZM. Start-A-Factory gives the startup team a direct through-line to the wealth of experience at the Institute when working on their vision of a zinc hydrogen battery. Zn2H2 also managed to develop a cost-effective direct coating process for nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂) electrodes. This makes it possible to produce extremely high-powered nickel zinc batteries.
Typical batteries of this type are made with a thick sintered layer of nickel hydroxide on the positive side to go with the zinc electrode. The novel process created by Zn2H2 works by depositing nickel directly onto a thin steel foil at the positive electrode. This allows for the production of large-area electrodes that can be coiled, similar to cylindrical lithium-ion batteries. Coupled with the aqueous electrolyte’s very high conductivity, the battery can be discharged faster, but also charged again more reliably.
𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐙𝐌
Putting the Fraunhofer IZM researchers’ years of experience with zinc-based batteries and the Institute’s established testing infrastructure to good use, the electrodes and NiZn batteries were checked inside out on behalf of Zn2H2 in the Institute’s labs. A test run at Fraunhofer IZM for more than 20,000 cycles showed a high discharge rate at over several 100 C and power topping 10,000 W/kg.
For everybody involved in the project, the NiZn batteries’ advantages were obvious: With discharge times ranging from a few tens of seconds to around five minutes, the novel NiZn batteries are a great fit for use in hyperscale data centers - or anywhere else where a lot of power is needed for a very limited period of time. They offer energy densities of 40 to 50 Wh/kg at high power and up to 170 Wh/kg at low power. Compared to the standard lithium batteries, a lower overall weight, lower production costs, and more easily sourced raw materials come into play. The batteries would therefore also be suitable for use in combustion engine vehicles to power the starter motors at low temperatures.
The cooperation between Zn2H2 and the Fraunhofer IZM again showed the benefits of such a partnership: Fresh thinking meets years of experience - the perfect seedbed for faster innovation and a quicker time to market.
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐙𝐧𝟐𝐇𝟐
Znh2H2 Inc. focuses on innovative solutions for storing green energy. Its zinc-hydrogen battery, for which a patent has been filed, can be used not only for long-term energy storage but also for hydrogen production. The startup has been a resident at Start-A-Factory (SaF) since 2022 and works very closely with Dr. Robert Hahn and his team.
Dr. Robert Hahn l Telefon +49 30 46403-611 l robert.hahn@izm.fraunhofer.de l
Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM I Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25 I 13355 Berlin l www.izm.fraunhofer.de l
https://www.izm.fraunhofer.de/en/news_events/tech_news/protecting-ai-data-center...
With discharges possible from within some tens of seconds to around five minutes, NiZn batteries are ...
Copyright: Fraunhofer IZM/Volker Mai
Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
Journalisten, Wirtschaftsvertreter, Wissenschaftler
Chemie, Elektrotechnik
überregional
Forschungs- / Wissenstransfer, Kooperationen
Englisch
With discharges possible from within some tens of seconds to around five minutes, NiZn batteries are ...
Copyright: Fraunhofer IZM/Volker Mai
Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.
Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).
Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.
Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).
Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).
