Lithium, a highly reactive metal, will fire off its electrons in a fizzy display if placed in water. As one source explains, “The lithium-water reaction at normal temperatures is brisk but not violent.” It comes as a surprise then that one lithium battery manufacturer, PolyPlus Battery Company, insists on putting its lithium battery electrodes in H2O. The firm makes both lithium/air and lithium/water batteries, holds over 72 patents on its intellectual property and has recently earned, along with its partner Corning, an ARPA-E (Advanced Research Project Agency – ENERGY) grant of nearly $5 million. It also made Time magazine’s list of the “50 Best Inventions of 2011.” It will be presented as a finalist in the Edison Awards dinner in New York City on April 26 for the Best New Product prize. Even more surprising are their performance claims, which Bruce Katz, Manager of Intellectual Property for the company, made at last April’s Electric Aircraft Symposium in Santa Rosa, California. …
The Sixth Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium
The CAFE Foundation will hold its sixth Electric Aircraft Symposium on April 27 and 28, 2012 at the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, California and at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, site of the Green Flight Challenge. Not only will there be a stellar lineup of speakers, but flying demonstrations of electric and hybrid aircraft, a first at any EAS. Jack Langelaan, team leader for the GFC-winning Electro Taurus G4 team, and Tine Tomazic from Pipistrel will share insights on the design and flight of the 403.5 epmpg aircraft. David Calley, Chief Technical Officer for Motor Excellence, will describe ideal low-RPM motors for electric aircraft, and Mark Moore from NASA’s Langley Research Center will share breakthroughs in distributed propulsion. And that’s all before the first coffee break! Typical of the packed schedules for all EAS’s, the rest of the presentations will fill your brain and lighten your spirit. Gene Sheehan will discuss his Quickie-like Feuling Green Flight Challenger …