Altech Batteries has run its sodium-nickel-chloride (SNC) batteries through an explosive series of safety destruction tests, with the high-tech batteries coming up trumps with zero thermal runaway, fire or explosion.
A full suite of extreme safety, self-destruction tests demonstrated the remarkable mechanical and chemical stability of the batteries that passed the exhaustive testwork with flying colours.
Exposed to extreme forces from gasoline fires, shotgun blasts and severe impacts, the batteries exhibited an impressive ability to withstand punishment and prove their resilience to external forces.
Altech says the test results confirm the batteries chemistry to be one of the safest energy-storage technologies for providing an uninterrupted power supply via both stationary and transportable applications. The testing program was designed to simulate the most severe field hazards that may occur during operation, transport or storage.
A mix of scenarios included direct fire exposure, rod penetration, overcharging, drop testing, ballistic impact, submersion and impact testing.
Notably, no uncontrolled reactions were recorded from any of the violent scenarios and no explosions or thermal runaways occurred, confirming the view garnered from long-term field deployments of the batteries – they are safe, thermally resilient and chemically contained.
Altech now believes the batteries have proven they can exceed conditions far beyond those specified under international certification standards.
Altech Batteries managing director Iggy Tan said: “These independent abuse tests confirm what long-term field data has been telling us for years — our sodium-nickel-chloride technology batteries produced by partner company AMPower, are exceptionally safe. Even under direct fire, impact, or over-voltage, the cells remain sealed and stable.”
Tan said the level of intrinsic safety in the batteries is a major differentiator for the company.
During the cell fire exposure test, three fully charged SNC battery cells were subjected to a 30-minute gasoline fire reaching a sweat-inducing 850 degrees celsius. Impressively, no explosion occurred, with the cell casing remaining intact. Only minor mechanical weakening was observed.
To up the ante, Altech then drove a 20mm steel rod through a fully charged battery and exposed it to water, generating an external reaction that produced steam and a small amount of vapour after 23 minutes, with no explosion or violent reaction taking place.
A fully-charged and operational SNC battery was then dropped from a 10m height onto a steel pole, simulating an impact at 48 kilometres per hour (KMH). The casing received minor denting, however remained intact with no rupture, leakage or loss of structural integrity.
The testwork included crash testing a set of fully charged battery packs by impacting them with a simulated utility pole at 48kmh using a vehicle. Again, no thermal reaction, fire or explosion occurred during or after the collision.
Additionally, submersing an operational SNC battery module under 3.5 per cent saltwater for a 2.5 hour period resulted in no external reaction or adverse event, demonstrating the chemical stability and safety of the sealed-cells even in an extreme marine environment.
In scenes you might find on the set of MythBusters, shotgun and rifle rounds also peppered an operational SNC battery, producing only minor smoke with no ignition, fire or explosion. The cell structure remained stable, proving its ability to withstand extreme ballistic abuse.
The company says an overcharging test subjected the SNC battery to 145 per cent of its nominal voltage for one hour over its charge limit. No swelling, venting or thermal reaction occurred, confirming the battery’s extreme tolerance to over-voltage conditions.
Altech believes the tests confirm its battery’s outstanding safety principles, comprising solid-state architecture that has no liquid electrolyte that can burn or leak. The low internal pressure also avoids overcharging and the self-regulating chemistry exhibits equilibrium limits thus preventing energy overshoot issues.
The sealed stainless steel casing provides complete containment and mechanical strength under severe conditions. Battery modules remain hermetically-sealed, or completely airtight for the service life of the battery, eliminating the risk of gas venting, electrolyte injection or thermal-related issues.
The glowing test results endorse Altech’s vision to redefine energy storage with a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, using the humble power of table salt as it looks to become a significant player in the global new energy push.
Altech looks like it has produced a battery that is literally bulletproof and without the need for flammable – and expensive - products like lithium, it just might be onto something here if it can get market take up.
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By Craig Nolan
