N102-191 TITLE: High-Performance Power Energy Device for Radio Applications

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: JPEO JTRS ACAT I

OBJECTIVE: To develop high-performance alternate energy/power devices for small form-factor military applications that is capable of meeting/exceeding 12 AH, -40 C to 55 C temperature operations. The size and weight must be comparable to the current battery design i.e, 14 inch cube and not greater than 1.0 lbs.

DESCRIPTION: Military Software Defined Radio (SDR) systems are being constrained to ever-smaller form-factors while their specified performance requirements continue to increase. Such radio systems require significantly enhanced power sources that transcend the rechargeable and non-rechargeable battery systems available today. Typical highest performing Li-ion batteries have energy storage densities in the range 140-160 W-hr/kg; Li-polymer batteries have densities in the range 130-200 W-hr/kg. These storage capacities, while significant, limit the mission longevity of SDR-equipped personnel due to the weight in batteries they can carry with them while forward-deployed.

The objective of this effort is to overcome these limitations by exploring the use of alternate energy sources and to propose an engineering design solution to extend mission longevity, reduce size, reduce weight and greatly increase both gravimetric and volumetric storage densities. The effort will evaluate leveraging existing commercial technologies to meet JTRS performance requirements. The proposed design must be able to meet the operational environment (-40 to 55 deg C) for more than 10 hours. The proposed solution must be easy to fabricate, easy to use, have no moving parts, have the ability to be ruggedized, be soldier friendly and environmentally safe.

Representative technologies that could be considered include fuel cells, energy harvesting systems, kinetic energy device (wearable or attached to the radio device), radioisotope thermoelectric generators, nano-technology based energy storage device (ultra capacitor) and alternative battery chemistries (e.g. Zinc-air, Li-ion phosphate). Power sources developed under this SBIR do not need to be rechargeable as long as their gravimetric and volumetric storage densities significantly exceed current state of the art.

PHASE I: Identify and determine the power technologies that could meet or has the greatest potential of meeting the JTRS performance and size requirements identified in the objective. Deliverables would include all collected laboratory data, as well as, any modeling and decision analysis data used to determine which of these alternate technology devices would move to the Phase II prototype development stage.

PHASE II: Based on Phase I results, build prototype high-performance power source device and characterize its performance over operationally relevant temperature ranges and load currents.

PHASE III: Phase III work would involve transitioning a successful prototype high-performance power source to the manufacturing sector.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Successful development of high-performance power sources has the potential to benefit DoD and commercial market segments alike. DoD applications that could benefit from this technology include man-portable communications, navigation and electronic warfare systems, as well as unattended sensor systems. Commercial applications include replacement power sources/batteries for multiple consumer products.

REFERENCES:
1. http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/19777/

2.United States Semiconductor (Compact Nuclear Battery TM) URL-- http://www.us-semi.com/pdf/CompactNuclearBattery_July08_low.pdf

3.http://www.cpm.ca/september/day2_adjusted/1-EnergyStoragePortableBatteriesState-of-%20the-ArtOverview.ppt

KEYWORDS: Software Defined Radios (SDR), Kinetic Energy device, wearable design, battery power, environmentally safe.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 19, 2010, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2010, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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