Altairnano
Encyclopedia
Altair Nanotechnologies is a Reno, Nevada
-based research company that develops nanotechnology
-based products for energy storage
and the life sciences. In particular, the company is known for its "NanoSafe" lithium-ion battery technology that is used in battery-electric vehicles. Altairnano is also producing batteries for electric utilities and the military.
made of a lithium titanate
oxide formed into a spinel
structure. The titanate replaces the graphite anodes of typical lithium ion batteries. The batteries are not the only batteries to use nanomaterials, but other batteries, like those from A123 Systems generally replace the cathode
rather than the anode.
The primary advantage of their batteries is that they can be charged very quickly. In testing, a 35 kWh battery pack was charged in ten minutes. Other advantages include longer life with up to 25,000 deep cycles, higher power density than other nanostructured cells, wider operating temperatures, and greater stability under electrical and mechanical stress (i.e. the cells cannot catch fire). On the other hand a disadvantage is that they have lower specific energy
than other lithium ion cells, 100 versus 120 Wh/kg. They have also been more expensive to produce, at US$2 per Wh, due to low manufacturing volumes.
The chemistry imposes, on the battery industry, a new methodology for evaluating batteries. Traditionally batteries have been evaluated on a nominal dollars/whr basis. The battery's increased life expectancy and depth of discharge (usable energy) add more scope to the formula changing it from a nominal valuation to a practical, or useful, evaluation. For example, a typical lithium ion battery might have about 160 watt/hrs per kilogram where Altair's is about half of that, at 80 watt/hrs per kilogram. To optimize the life of a typical lithium ion system it can only be run between about a 30% state of charge and an 80% state of charge. That leaves 50% of the available energy. Fifty percent of 160 watt/hrs is 80 watt/hrs which is precisely Altair's capacity. Taking into account Altairnano's increased life expectancy, operational temperature range, and power density the battery relates well to other energy storage technologies.
Today Altairnano has three cell chemistries; An 11Ah energy cell, a 50Ah energy cell, and a new 3.5Ah power cell. The new 3.5Ah power cell has specific energy of 40wh/kg, specific power
of 4 kW/kg, and a maximum charge rate of 50C. In transportation it can be used for light and heavy hybrid electric vehicle
s and large diesel starters, in electric grid ancillary services it can be used as a super capacitor alternative, and in the military it can be used for weapons pulse power, as an aircraft starter, and for communications.
Altairnano will have a second generation 11Ah cell that will be available around the fall of 2009. The performance of this second generation cell will be different due to a new cathode. The nature of the new cathode is proprietary at this time. The performance will differ in that the specific power will decrease from 2200w/kg to 1000w/kg which is still more than twice the minimum PHEV requirement of 400w/kg. A presumed benefit to this chemistry will be that the observed cell voltage (OCV) vs the state of charge
(SOC) will be a smooth curve. This simplifies challenges for battery control systems on electric vehicles and makes them easier to control. .
of Ontario, California
is planning to use Altair's batteries in its sport-utility vehicles, currently slated to ship in 2010. The Lightning Car Company
in the UK has a license for using their cells in its upcoming sports cars. Proterra, a battery dominant hybrid, and battery-electric, drive solutions designer, developer and manufacturer, is using Altairnano batteries in its all-electric EcoRide BE35 vehicle, a lightweight 35-foot bus.
In July 2007, AltairNano entered into a joint development and purchase agreement for a suite of energy storage products with AES Corporation
, an electrical power distribution company. These are for three distinct market applications:
As a first step Altairnano has produced for AES an independently tested, one megawatt, grid-scale, battery energy storage system currently in use in the PJM Interconnection
Regional Transmission Organization control area in Norristown, PA. The agreement with AES is not exclusive leaving Altair free to negotiate with any other utility, Independent System Operator (ISO), merchant operator, municipality
or rural electric cooperative.
Altair Nanotechnologies also has relationships with the United States Department of Defense
(DOD) and the Ministry of Defense (United Kingdom) (MoD). The DOD relationships include providing a battery backup system to replace the otherwise continuously running diesel turbine generators on United States Navy
vessels, such as the Arleigh Burke class destroyer
, and United States Army
batteries for the M119 howitzer
. The U.K. MoD relationship is via BAE Systems
Marine Limited for which Altair is producing a battery system for submarine power and propulsion.
Altairnano has joined a number of other companies in a consortium called the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries (NAATB). The objective of this alliance is to build a single production facility where member companies would be able to purchase line time to build their own battery cells while keeping safe their proprietary information. Altairnano is also a member of the Defense Advanced Battery Manufacturing Coalition (DABMC).
Notwithstanding this partnership activity, as of March 2009, Altairnano has shipped little more than prototypes and relatively small numbers of battery packs. This company has, in various incarnations, a 36 year history of varried partnerships without ever making a profit. Altairnano has a dependency on the success of third parties products.
and a range of other kidney disorders. Altair has given Spectrum Pharmaceuticals exclusive worldwide rights to this product which is currently still in the testing phase. Altair also has a similar product, Renalin, for companion animals which combats kidney disease, the number one killer of cats and dogs.
’s (NHRA) Super Pro class world speed record for electric dragsters driving a vehicle powered by Altair's battery packs. Berube's electric dragster, named the Current Eliminator V, accelerated to a speed of 247.2 km/h (153.6 mph) at the Speedworld Motorplex drag strip on December 15, 2007 covering a quarter-mile in 8.10 seconds.
The Autovolantor, a proposed model of flying car (aircraft) by Moller Skycar
, has an all-electric version powered by Altairnano batteries.
In February 2008, Argonne National Laboratory reported that Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABAT) has developed, and shipped its first batch of nano-lithium-ion batteries, to a U.S. customer, which incorporated Altair Nanotechnologies' lithium titanate spinel nanomaterials with its own polymer battery chemistry.
In March 2009, Altair along with ten other companies was dropped from NASDAQ
's Clean Edge Green Energy Index (CELS). To be on the index, companies must meet eligibility criteria including minimum requirements for market value, average daily share volume and price.
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
-based research company that develops nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
-based products for energy storage
Energy storage
Energy storage is accomplished by devices or physical media that store some form of energy to perform some useful operation at a later time. A device that stores energy is sometimes called an accumulator....
and the life sciences. In particular, the company is known for its "NanoSafe" lithium-ion battery technology that is used in battery-electric vehicles. Altairnano is also producing batteries for electric utilities and the military.
Battery technology
Altairnano's best-known product are their lithium ion batteries, produced by Altair's Power and Energy division. The batteries have an anodeAnode
An anode is an electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: ACID ....
made of a lithium titanate
Lithium titanate
Lithium titanate is a compound containing lithium and titanium. It is an off-white powder at room temperature and has the chemical formula Li2TiO3....
oxide formed into a spinel
Spinel
Spinel is the magnesium aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It has the formula MgAl2O4. Balas ruby is an old name for a rose-tinted variety.-Spinel group:...
structure. The titanate replaces the graphite anodes of typical lithium ion batteries. The batteries are not the only batteries to use nanomaterials, but other batteries, like those from A123 Systems generally replace the cathode
Cathode
A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative...
rather than the anode.
The primary advantage of their batteries is that they can be charged very quickly. In testing, a 35 kWh battery pack was charged in ten minutes. Other advantages include longer life with up to 25,000 deep cycles, higher power density than other nanostructured cells, wider operating temperatures, and greater stability under electrical and mechanical stress (i.e. the cells cannot catch fire). On the other hand a disadvantage is that they have lower specific energy
Specific energy
Specific energy is defined as the energy per unit mass. Common metric units are J/kg. It is an intensive property. Contrast this with energy, which is an extensive property. There are two main types of specific energy: potential energy and specific kinetic energy. Others are the gray and sievert,...
than other lithium ion cells, 100 versus 120 Wh/kg. They have also been more expensive to produce, at US$2 per Wh, due to low manufacturing volumes.
The chemistry imposes, on the battery industry, a new methodology for evaluating batteries. Traditionally batteries have been evaluated on a nominal dollars/whr basis. The battery's increased life expectancy and depth of discharge (usable energy) add more scope to the formula changing it from a nominal valuation to a practical, or useful, evaluation. For example, a typical lithium ion battery might have about 160 watt/hrs per kilogram where Altair's is about half of that, at 80 watt/hrs per kilogram. To optimize the life of a typical lithium ion system it can only be run between about a 30% state of charge and an 80% state of charge. That leaves 50% of the available energy. Fifty percent of 160 watt/hrs is 80 watt/hrs which is precisely Altair's capacity. Taking into account Altairnano's increased life expectancy, operational temperature range, and power density the battery relates well to other energy storage technologies.
Today Altairnano has three cell chemistries; An 11Ah energy cell, a 50Ah energy cell, and a new 3.5Ah power cell. The new 3.5Ah power cell has specific energy of 40wh/kg, specific power
Specific power
In physics and engineering, surface power density or sometimes simply specific power is power per unit area.-Applications:* The intensity of electromagnetic radiation can be expressed in W/m2...
of 4 kW/kg, and a maximum charge rate of 50C. In transportation it can be used for light and heavy hybrid electric vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
s and large diesel starters, in electric grid ancillary services it can be used as a super capacitor alternative, and in the military it can be used for weapons pulse power, as an aircraft starter, and for communications.
Altairnano will have a second generation 11Ah cell that will be available around the fall of 2009. The performance of this second generation cell will be different due to a new cathode. The nature of the new cathode is proprietary at this time. The performance will differ in that the specific power will decrease from 2200w/kg to 1000w/kg which is still more than twice the minimum PHEV requirement of 400w/kg. A presumed benefit to this chemistry will be that the observed cell voltage (OCV) vs the state of charge
State of charge
State of charge is the equivalent of a fuel gauge for the battery pack in a battery electric vehicle , hybrid vehicle , or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle...
(SOC) will be a smooth curve. This simplifies challenges for battery control systems on electric vehicles and makes them easier to control. .
Partnerships
AltairNano shares its battery technology with battery electric vehicle manufacturers. Phoenix MotorcarsPhoenix Motorcars
Phoenix MC, Inc. is a privately held Delaware corporation headquartered in Ontario, California, that does business as Phoenix Motorcars. The Company develops full-size, freeway speed electric vehicles...
of Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
is planning to use Altair's batteries in its sport-utility vehicles, currently slated to ship in 2010. The Lightning Car Company
Lightning Car Company
The Lightning Car Company is a British sports car developer, based in Fulham and Peterborough, focused on the development and production of high performance electric sports cars.-Lightning GT:...
in the UK has a license for using their cells in its upcoming sports cars. Proterra, a battery dominant hybrid, and battery-electric, drive solutions designer, developer and manufacturer, is using Altairnano batteries in its all-electric EcoRide BE35 vehicle, a lightweight 35-foot bus.
In July 2007, AltairNano entered into a joint development and purchase agreement for a suite of energy storage products with AES Corporation
AES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
, an electrical power distribution company. These are for three distinct market applications:
- Frequency Regulation
- Renewables Integration
- Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) applications.
As a first step Altairnano has produced for AES an independently tested, one megawatt, grid-scale, battery energy storage system currently in use in the PJM Interconnection
PJM Interconnection
PJM Interconnection LLC is a Regional Transmission Organization which is part of the Eastern Interconnection grid operating an electric transmission system serving all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...
Regional Transmission Organization control area in Norristown, PA. The agreement with AES is not exclusive leaving Altair free to negotiate with any other utility, Independent System Operator (ISO), merchant operator, municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
or rural electric cooperative.
Altair Nanotechnologies also has relationships with the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DOD) and the Ministry of Defense (United Kingdom) (MoD). The DOD relationships include providing a battery backup system to replace the otherwise continuously running diesel turbine generators on United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
vessels, such as the Arleigh Burke class destroyer
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...
, and United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
batteries for the M119 howitzer
M119 howitzer
The M119 Howitzer is a lightweight 105-mm howitzer used by the United States Army. It can be easily airlifted, even by helicopter, or dropped by parachute. It does not need a recoil pit.-Development:...
. The U.K. MoD relationship is via BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
Marine Limited for which Altair is producing a battery system for submarine power and propulsion.
Altairnano has joined a number of other companies in a consortium called the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries (NAATB). The objective of this alliance is to build a single production facility where member companies would be able to purchase line time to build their own battery cells while keeping safe their proprietary information. Altairnano is also a member of the Defense Advanced Battery Manufacturing Coalition (DABMC).
Notwithstanding this partnership activity, as of March 2009, Altairnano has shipped little more than prototypes and relatively small numbers of battery packs. This company has, in various incarnations, a 36 year history of varried partnerships without ever making a profit. Altairnano has a dependency on the success of third parties products.
Life Sciences
Altainano has created the RenaZorb product line intended for people afflicted with Chronic Kidney Disease, hyperphosphatemiaHyperphosphatemia
Hyperphosphatemia is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is an abnormally elevated level of phosphate in the blood. Often, calcium levels are lowered due to precipitation of phosphate with the calcium in tissues.-Signs and symptoms:...
and a range of other kidney disorders. Altair has given Spectrum Pharmaceuticals exclusive worldwide rights to this product which is currently still in the testing phase. Altair also has a similar product, Renalin, for companion animals which combats kidney disease, the number one killer of cats and dogs.
Additional information
Dennis “Kilowatt” Berube set the National Hot Rod AssociationNational Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
’s (NHRA) Super Pro class world speed record for electric dragsters driving a vehicle powered by Altair's battery packs. Berube's electric dragster, named the Current Eliminator V, accelerated to a speed of 247.2 km/h (153.6 mph) at the Speedworld Motorplex drag strip on December 15, 2007 covering a quarter-mile in 8.10 seconds.
The Autovolantor, a proposed model of flying car (aircraft) by Moller Skycar
Moller Skycar
-Criticism:The only flight demonstrations have been hover tests performed in 2003 by a Skycar prototype that for insurance reasons was tethered to a crane...
, has an all-electric version powered by Altairnano batteries.
In February 2008, Argonne National Laboratory reported that Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABAT) has developed, and shipped its first batch of nano-lithium-ion batteries, to a U.S. customer, which incorporated Altair Nanotechnologies' lithium titanate spinel nanomaterials with its own polymer battery chemistry.
In March 2009, Altair along with ten other companies was dropped from NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
's Clean Edge Green Energy Index (CELS). To be on the index, companies must meet eligibility criteria including minimum requirements for market value, average daily share volume and price.