EEStor from Ecogeek

This short simple item from Ecogeek will help make the EEStor concept a little easier, although it says nothing about the real issues.

I notice commentators whining about the litany of missed delivery dates as if this actually casts doubt on what they are attempting. This is very extreme product development and very difficult. It they were actually meeting so called deadlines, I would be expecting a sham. Most folks cannot change a tire on time and on budget and this is a hundred times more problematic where you are creating a micron sized particle, that is coated no less and then using it to fabricate an electron absorbing layer of these powders and plastic binder.

It is the type of thing that is likely a bitch to do as a one off in a custom rig, whereas a piece of cake in a very expensive production line. Imagine a plasma screen done as a one off! You would be lucky to get proof of concept.

We are still been told very little how this works but we are certainly told what they can do and it is clearly important.

http://www.ecogeek.org/images/image/eestorpatent.jpg


EEStor Gets Patent on Breakthough Mystery Device

Written by Hank Green
Friday, 26 December 2008

Personally, I'm very excited that lithium ion batteries are finally getting advanced enough to find homes in automobiles. But a small company called EEStor is promising "Electronic Storage Units" that will be ten times lighter, hold ten times more power, and cost half as much as lithium ion batteries.

What's more, they'll be able hold enough power to drive a car for 300 miles, charge in less than five minutes (at charging stations, not at home outlets) and will be able to charge and recharge an infinite number of times.

If true, this isn't just great news for the auto industry...it's great news for consumer electronics and the power industry as well. The question is...is it true?

Well, one obstacle was overcome today, when EEStor was finally awarded a patent (PDF) on its technology. But a patent can be awarded for technology that doesn't work or isn't viable...they do it all the time. But now, at least, EEStor will be able to control the device if it turns out to be feasible.

It also opens up the window for all of us to look in on their mysterious chemistry a bit. According to the patent the device is a sort of capacitor that actually contains 31,353 separate capacitors in parallel. These nano-capacitors are basically a ceramic powder suspended in a plastic solution, and we're not going to pretend we understand why they can soak up so many electrons.

The patent does point out that any number of these nano-capacitors can be used in parallel, depending on the needs of the application. So, yes, if they begin manufacturing these things for cars, it won't be long before they're in your laptops and cell phones as well.

But the question of feasibility remains. They're already behind on their scheduled delivery to Zenn auto company (who currently has exclusive rights to use the storage units.) But Zenn apparently remains confident that they will have a vehicle on the roads using the technology by 2009.

I, for one, certainly hope so. But if they do, it's going to mess up a lot of other people's plans.