DARPA: Exploring Radiant Sources for Energy Storage and Transfer

Suspense: 15 July 2021 Description: This SBIR will develop energy storage, and transfer systems that store or transfer radiant energy in materials during charging and converts it into electrical energy during discharging processes without ion (or) mass transfer between the positive and negative electrodes or transmit or receive apertures

Category

Opportunity

DoD Communities of Interest

Materials and Manufacturing Processes

Subject

Exploring Radiant Sources for Energy Storage and Transfer

Due Date

15 July 2021

Government Organization

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Description
DARPA SBIR HR001121S0007 | Topic: HR001121S0007-15

OBJECTIVE
This SBIR will develop energy storage, and transfer systems that store or transfer radiant energy in materials during charging and converts it into electrical energy during discharging processes without ion (or) mass transfer between the positive and negative electrodes or transmit or receive apertures. For full topic instructions, please see https://sam.gov/opp/b6519d16768f401d825d4dd1c72542fa/view.
DESCRIPTION

Energy storage has relied on materials with large chemical potential energy that could be converted directly or indirectly into electrical energy. The conversion of chemical energy in materials such as battery electrodes and fuels with high energy density and power density (Wh/L, W/L) is achieved through mass transfer inside a battery, fuel cell, turbine, or an internal combustion engine. The power output from conventional energy conversion and storage platforms is limited to mass transfer of ions, liquid, gaseous fuels, or byproducts from/to the energy conversion device.

Alternatively, energy transferred and stored as radiant forms of energy (stored as light, heat, and other electromagnetic forms of energy) in materials and its direct conversion and controlled release as electrical energy could, in theory overcome inefficiencies due to mass transfer from chemical sources. As an example, solid-state optoelectronic materials, such as phosphors and thermoelectric generators, can absorb photons (or) phonons and convert absorbed energy directly or indirectly via secondary emission into electrical energy. While low energy density of radiant energy stored in phosphors could potentially be an impediment,1 designing novel phosphors with higher persistence will determine if this can become a viable technology for energy storage.2, 3

DARPA seeks to develop energy storage solutions that can be charged using radiant sources of energy, store energy that can be released as radiant forms, and directly converted into electrical energy without any mass transfer between the electrodes. Materials discoveries should be supported by physics-based models, scaled system-level model, and relevance to the Department of Defense via prototype demonstrations.

A successful proposal will design and demonstrate radiant energy storage (Track A) or radiant transfer (Track B) system.

Track A
For the radiant energy storage track
i. identify the architecture for radiant energy storage system,
ii. explore known materials library, discover new materials through computational methods,
iii. develop synthesis/fabrication processes for identified materials,
iv. perform experimental characterization to measure and report essential metrics (energy and power density, specific energy and power), and
v. fabricate and demonstrate a prototype energy storage system that can be charged and discharged for at least 100 cycles.

Track B
For the radiant energy transfer track:
i. identify architecture for radiant energy transfer system,
ii. explore potential radiant transfer systems to set baseline performance state of the art for the range, efficiency, and aperture size proposed
iii. show by analysis the potential improvement in radiant transfer performance metrics
iv. fabricate and demonstrate a prototype radiant transfer system and show scalability in power transfer capacity

PHASE I
Phase I for both Track A and Track B will design and demonstrate an energy storage device that can be charged using radiant sources of energy, store energy that can be released as radiations and directly converted into electrical energy without any mass transfer between the electrodes

Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Reports for the following activity should be submitted to DARPA at the end of the indicated performance period.

Track A: Radiant energy storage track
The target metrics for Track A are a specific energy and energy density of 100 Wh/kg and 200 Wh/L.
• Month 1: Perform detailed technical feasibility to achieve Phase I metrics for the proposed design for an energy storage solution.
• Month 3: Perform materials characterization, fabricate energy storage, and demonstrate charging and discharging or transfer.
• Month 4: Adjust the material composition of the energy storage system to achieve 100Wh/kg and 200 Wh/L in a coin cell format at C/3 equivalent rate
• Month 5: Interim report demonstrating energy storage or radiant transfer system. For storage, use at least three prototypes with a charge/discharge rate equivalent of 10C and 80% specific energy.
• Month 6: Final Phase I report summarizing approach; design challenges for Phase I design, comparison of energy storage charging/discharging characteristics.

Track B: Radiant energy transfer track
Metrics for Track B to demonstrate radiant energy transfer should be identified by the proposer and demonstrated to show at least 2x improvement on existing radiant transfer modalities in efficiency, energy transfer flux, system insensitivity to misalignment, calibration speed, or range.

The proposal should identify schedule and monthly deliverables to achieve 2x improvement in efficiency, energy transfer flux as demonstrated by smaller required apertures, system insensitivity to misalignment, calibration speed, or range.

Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to Section 4.2, Direct to Phase II (DP2) Requirements, and Appendix B of HR001121S0007.

PHASE II
Phase II for Track A should extend the design through new materials discovery drawing up on results from Phase I and fabricate a prototype for demonstration with at least 150 Wh/kg and 400 Wh/L at C/2 equivalent rate. The energy storage system should be charged and discharged in pulsed mode for 1 minute and deliver 1000 W/kg, 1500 W/L and meet the identified metrics at 0oC and 50oC.

Alternately, Phase II for Track B will scale up radiant power transfer system from Phase I in either power transfer capacity by either increasing the power per beam or increasing the number of transmit/receive nodes to demonstrate scalability. Theoretical limits for maximum power transfer or node quantity for proposed technical solution should be analyzed and substantiated through experimental data

Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Reports for the following activity should be submitted to DARPA at the end of the indicated performance period.

Track A: Radiant energy storage track
• Month 2: Develop system level model and identify new materials/ library via materials discovery that support Phase II target metrics.
• Month 6: Fabricate materials using appropriate scalable techniques
• Month 10: Adjust energy storage system design to achieve specific energy and energy density metrics.
• Month 12: Adjust design to achieve 1-minute pulsed mode power output of 500 W/kg and 750 W/L.
• Month 18: Design conditioning circuitry that optimizes pulsed power charging and discharging.
• Month 24: Adjust design to achieve pulsed power outputs of 1000 W/kg and 1500 W/L, Final Phase II report summarizing designs and path for system scale up.

Track B: Radiant energy transfer track
Proposal should identify objectives and deliverables to demonstrate technology scalability to systems delivering at least kWs to multiple receivers at distances greater than 100 m. Solutions that can deliver greater power over greater distances are highly desired.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS
Applications could include energy transfer and storage for civilian wireless communication networks, wireless charging etc.

Website

https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/