There are a number of terrestrial applications where good low temperature performance is required. For example, the average night time temperature in the high Khumbu Himal (Mt. Everest region) is -36
oC and often drops as low as -60
oC. On the South Pole the average annual temperature is approximately -50
oC, while the lowest temperatures recorded are below -90
oC. The external temperature of an aircraft at 30,000 feet can reach -40
oC and below. Portable lighting, electronic equipment, sensors and weapons systems that must function in those environments will greatly benefit from the proposed innovation. Covalent's new electrolyte formulations will also increase the battery rate capability in the temperature range of 22
oC to -40
oC. The unsurpassed room temperature conductivity of the new electrolytes will enable high power pulses required in a wide range of consumer applications, while high discharge rate capability at -40
oC is of particular interest to the U.S. military. Future NASA manned and unmanned missions to the moon and Mars require a new generation of primary lithium batteries designed to function at temperatures as low as -120
oC. Such temperatures will be encountered on the moon where the night time lows reach -110
oC, and on Mars where temperatures recorded by the Viking probes were as low as -107
oC. At present, no battery exists that can provide practical discharge rates at such ultra low temperatures. Advanced Li/CFx batteries incorporating Covalent's novel low temperature electrolyte formulations will find use in astronaut equipment (lighting and power tools), communication devices, in situ resource utilization systems and sensor networks.
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