Corvus lithium battery meets Lloyd’s Register certification

Corvus Energy, Richmond, B.C., Canada, recently announced that its 6.5 kWh lithium-polymer batteries have passed the requirements of Lloyd’s Register Type Approval certification tests. Lloyd’s Register North America, Inc., Houston, Tex., reported that the AT6500 module met Corvus Energy’s manufacturing claims. It is one of the world’s first batteries, designed for marine
propulsion power, to receive Lloyd’s Register Type Approval.

Lloyd’s Register Type Approval will provide industry-wide confidence in Corvus Energy as the makers of safe and powerful lithium-polymer batteries.

The potential environmental savings for the marine industry are “huge,” says Corvus. Conventional tugs, for example, idle up to 90 percent of the time and operate at full power the remaining 10 percent. Outfitted with a hybrid propulsion system with Corvus batteries, a 3,000-horsepower harbor tug could annually save an estimted 122,000 gallons of fuel and reduce its emissions by 900 tons of carbon, 21 tons of nitrogen oxide and 8.62 tons of particulate matter. Tugboats can draw extra energy from the battery packs during full-power surges, fully rely on the pack during idle periods and power critical navigational instruments for hours. The packs are some of the most efficient in the industry and recharge in 30 minutes.

The AT6500 is built around a brand new and highly stable nickel-manganese-cobalt-based Dow Kokam cell and are designed to handle ocean conditions. Fully waterproof to 1 atmosphere, they can operate from -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and feature standard shock ratings at 30G and vibration ratings of 8G aboard current vessels.

In addition, the batteries are reportedly up to 10 times more powerful than lead-acid batteries and at least 22 percent more powerful than current alternative lithium-polymer competitors.

Corvus Energy’s battery management system constantly monitors each module, making them extremely durable. They’re sealed in purpose-built aluminum casings, are water and tamper proof, as well as feature triple-redundant safety features. Each cell is individually fused to eliminate the remote chance of thermal runaway and, given their low impedance, the batteries are an impressively 99 percent efficient in the transfer of energy and require no external ventilation.

Corvus Energy’s AT6500 modules can be utilized in a wide variety of applications. They are currently providing diesel-engine-scale power to the Canadian Space Agency’s brand-new electric lunar rover, food rock star Russ Kremer’s first-ever 100 percent off-grid, zero-waste pork processing plant and a refitted Foss Maritime tugboat.

September 6, 2011