Chemical Processing - September 2007 - (Page 16)

>> IN PROCESS If the engineering and purchasing departments don’t agree on a piece of equipment or vendor: Energy storage turns a new leaf 40 Responses (%) 30 20 10 0 Purchasing usually gets its way Engineering usually gets its way A mutually acceptable compromise generally is reached Other Energy storage turns a new leaf A lightweight, thin and flexible energy-storage device that resembles a sheet of black paper has been developed by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, N.Y. That’s not surprising because more than 95% of it consists of cellulose. The remainder comprises carbon nanotubes, which serve as electrodes, and an ionic liquid electrolyte (Figure 2). “The carbon nanotube print is embedded in the paper, and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper. The end result is a device that looks, feels, and weighs the same as paper,” explains Robert Linhardt, a professor in RPI’s Chemical and Biological Engineering Department. The device reportedly can provide long, steady power output like a conventional battery, as well as a supercapacitor’s quick burst of high energy. Lab-scale units can power an LED, but with improved efficiency such devices will be able to handle small-scale applications, It there's no compromise, engineering gets its way more often than purchasing. To participate in this month’s poll, go to ChemicalProcessing.com. >> Flexible energy storage Long Lasting Won’t Rust or Corrode Avoid Down Tme Save on Maintenance 15-Year Shell Warranty Not Harmed by H2O Chemical Treatments Figure 2. Thin and flexible device looks like a sheet of paper because it largely consists of cellulose. Source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Delta Cooling Towers designed the first engineered plastic (polyethylene) cooling tower in 1971. Since then we’ve improved and expanded “The Most Durable Corrosion-Proof Cooling Towers Available” to a full line, factory assembled and ready for any application. Visit us at www.deltacooling.com, or call 1.800.289.3358. The Greatest Thing Since a Delta Cooling Tower. notes Victor Pushparaj, a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. The sheets can be rolled, twisted, folded or cut into shapes without losing mechanical integrity or efficiency. They can be used from -100°F to 300°F, say RPI researchers. High cellulose content and lack of toxic chemicals make them environmentally safe. “Presently, at the lab scale, the batteries are made up to 1 in. in diameter but [this is] easily scalable to 3 in. in diameter samples with the present setup,” explains Pushparaj. “We are scaling up the process so that [the devices] can be made into paper rolls on a large scale.” While ionic liquids are costly, the amount used is so small that the devices still are inexpensive, notes Pushparaj. CP www.chemicalprocessing.com 16 • September 2007 http://ChemicalProcessing.com http://www.deltacooling.com http://www.deltacooling.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing - September 2007

Contents From the Editor Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Succeed at Simulation Rethink Your Approach to Process Safety Avoid Blending Blunders Get the Right Cartridge or Bag Filter Wireless Proponents Take HART Membrane Boasts Material Benefits Process Puzzler Plant InSites Chem Show Product Preview ISA Product Preview Equipment & Services Product Spotlight/Classifieds Ad Index End Point

Chemical Processing - September 2007

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