Ososayensi baseMelika bathuthukise uhlobo olusha lwebhethri likasawoti elincibilikisiwe, okulindeleke ukuthi lifinyelele isitoreji samandla segridi ngezinga lokushisa eliphansi kanye nezindleko eziphansi.

Ngokukhuphuka okuqhubekayo kwemithombo yamandla avuselelekayo njengomoya namandla elanga, izixazululo zokudala ziyadingeka ukuze kugcinwe amandla ngezikhathi ezithile avela emvelweni. Isixazululo esingase sibe khona ibhethri likasawoti elincibilikisiwe, elihlinzeka ngezinzuzo ukuthi amabhethri e-lithium angenawo, kodwa ezinye izinkinga zidinga ukuxazululwa.

Ososayensi baseSandia National Laboratories (Sandia National Laboratories) ngaphansi kwe-US National Nuclear Safety Administration baphakamise idizayini entsha engaxazulula lezi zinkinga futhi babonise ibhethri elisha elincibilikisiwe likasawoti elihambisana nenguqulo etholakalayo njengamanje. Uma kuqhathaniswa, lolu hlobo lwebhethri lokugcina amandla lungakhiwa ngokushibhile kuyilapho lugcina amandla engeziwe.

Ukugcina amanani amakhulu wamandla ngeshibhile nangempumelelo kuyisihluthulelo sokusebenzisa amandla avuselelekayo ukunika amandla idolobha lonke. Nakuba inezinzuzo eziningi, yilokhu ubuchwepheshe bebhethri ye-lithium ebizayo engenakho. Amabhethri kasawoti ancibilikisiwe ayisixazululo esingabizi kakhulu esisebenzisa ama-electrode ahlala encibilikile ngosizo lwamazinga okushisa aphezulu.

"Besisebenza kanzima ukuze sehlise izinga lokushisa elisebenzayo lamabhethri e-sodium ancibilikisiwe liye ezingeni lokushisa eliphansi kakhulu lomzimba," kusho u-Leo Small, umcwaningi oholayo wale phrojekthi. "Ngenkathi yehlisa izinga lokushisa lebhethri, lingase futhi linciphise izindleko zizonke. Ungasebenzisa izinto ezishibhile. Amabhethri adinga ukufakwa okuncane, futhi izintambo ezixhuma wonke amabhethri zingaba zincane."

Ngokwezentengiselwano, lolu hlobo lwebhethri lubizwa ngebhethri ye-sodium-sulphur. Amanye alawa mabhethri athuthukiswe emhlabeni wonke, kodwa ngokuvamile asebenza emazingeni okushisa angama-520 kuya ku-660°F (270 kuya ku-350°C). Umgomo weqembu likaSandia uphansi kakhulu, nakuba ukwenza kanjalo kudinga ukucatshangelwa kabusha ngoba amakhemikhali asebenza emazingeni okushisa aphezulu awakufanele ukusebenza emazingeni okushisa aphansi.

Kuyaqondakala ukuthi umklamo omusha wososayensi uqukethe insimbi ye-sodium ewuketshezi kanye nohlobo olusha lwengxube yoketshezi. Le ngxube yoketshezi yenziwe nge-sodium iodide ne-gallium chloride, ososayensi abayibiza nge-catholyte.

Ukusabela kwamakhemikhali kwenzeka lapho ibhethri likhipha amandla, likhiqiza ama-ion e-sodium nama-electron adlula ezintweni ezikhetha kakhulu zokuhlukanisa futhi enze usawoti we-iodide oncibilikisiwe ngakolunye uhlangothi.

Leli bhethri le-sodium-sulphur lingasebenza ezingeni lokushisa elingu-110°C. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili zokuhlolwa kwaselabhorethri, isikhokhiswe futhi yakhishwa izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-400, okufakazela ukubaluleka kwayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-voltage yayo ingu-3.6 volts, ososayensi abathi iphakeme ngo-40% kunaleyo yamabhethri kasawoti ancibilikisiwe emakethe, ngakho inomthamo omkhulu wamandla.

Umlobi ongumcwaningi uMartha Gross wathi: “Ngenxa ye-catholyte entsha esiyibike kuleli phepha, sijabule kakhulu ngokuthi mangakanani amandla angase afakwe kulesi simiso. kodwa azikaze zibe khona. Akekho oke wakhuluma ngazo. Ngakho-ke, kuhle ukwazi ukwehlisa izinga lokushisa futhi ubuyise idatha ethile bese uthi, 'Lena uhlelo olusebenzayo ngempela.'

Ososayensi manje sebegxilisa ukunakekela kwabo ekwehliseni izindleko zamabhethri, ezingafinyelelwa ngokushintsha i-gallium chloride, ebiza ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyikhulu kunosawoti wetafula. Bathe lobu buchwepheshe kusasele iminyaka emi-100 kuya kweyi-5 ukuthi buqale ukudayiswa kodwa okubasizayo wukuphepha kwebhethri ngoba ayidali ingozi yomlilo.

"Lokhu ukuboniswa kokuqala komjikelezo ozinzile wesikhathi eside webhethri ye-sodium encibilikisiwe enezinga lokushisa eliphansi," kusho umlobi ongumcwaningi u-Erik Spoerke. "Umlingo wethu ukuthi sinqume i-chemistry kasawoti kanye ne-electrochemistry, esivumela ukuthi sisebenze ku-230 ° F ngokuphumelelayo. Sebenza. Lesi sakhiwo se-iodide ye-sodium ephansi lokushisa singukuguqulwa kwamabhethri e-sodium encibilikisiwe."