Radioactive Gadget Battery on the Way
Mon Oct 1, 2007 11:25PM EDT
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Have a seat before digesting this one. Following years of rumor and conjecture, a battery that has the capability of running for 30 years might be on the horizon. The energy source isn't chemical but rather "radioisotopes" which decay, emitting beta particles that cause electrons to bounce into the circuit, producing electricity. Just don't call it a "nuclear" battery.
The battery is called a betavoltaic and we are assured that it does not produce hazardous waste after it runs out. Powered by protons decaying, the reaction produces no heat and, because it's converting matter directly into energy, lets it last nearly forever. The batteries would be small enough to power cell phones or laptops and, essentially, never die. Read this full post at Next Energy News to get the full details.
Impressed or scared... or both? While I'm a big fan of nuclear power, I'm not sure I'm ready for a decaying proton to power my laptop. My problem isn't the batteries during normal use, but rather what happens if one ruptures. The material may be perfectly inert when the material is spent after 30 years, but what about the laptop that cracks open on the floor of an office building on year one? Will a biohazard crew have to come clean up? Like the alpha particles that poisoned Alexander Litvinenko last year, beta particles can also be deadly if inhaled or ingested.
There's also the issue that 30 years might be a bit excessive. Most people replace laptops and phones within two or three years, and not because of dead batteries but because technology has moved on. Would you be willing to use a 1977 cell phone today? The lifespan of the battery is a product of the radioactive emissions, not the size of the cell, so making it smaller wouldn't be an easy fix. What happens to the battery for the 27 years after you get rid of your computer?
Still, this is exciting stuff, and I'm hopeful that any problems could be worked out. Just don't say it's nuclear!
Oh... and Rupert Goodwins has a lengthy expose on why this is all bunk.
LINK: Scientists Invent 30 Year Continuous Power Laptop Battery
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2 Posted by agustin2489 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:47PM EDT Report Abuse
Nuclear! Haha anyway, you bring up a good point. Even though these batteries could be used on cell phones or laptops wouldn't mean they would be used on them. The reasons are that of what you said above. Rather, I would probably see the betavoltaic batteries could be used in other areas such as water heaters and environment regulation systems. These are terrible examples really but that's what I get off the top of my head; devices that operate for an extended period of time without user interaction and or timekeeping devices. Another viewpoint is that when you go to replace your laptop or cell phone, you could take out the betavoltaic battery in your old device and use it on the new one. There would still be the problem of ruptures but this is still an idea. Wow, I spew intellectual property but I hopefully won't need the money.
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3 Posted by navynewk on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:34PM EDT Report Abuse
I'm all for this. I work in nuclear power for the Navy, so I understand radiation and it's effects. These batteries are powered by beta particles which for the most part are fairly harmless. I mean they can be blocked by something as thin as a piece of paper, so for the most part if one ruptures just wrap it in paper and you don't have to worry about exposure to yourself, just find a disposal site and drop it off there.
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4 Posted by armedcitizen1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse
just say yes......heck what could be worse hmmmmmmm let's see like hulling 6 nuclear cruise missiles across the U.S. come on get the stuff.
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5 Posted by michealoangelo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:18PM EDT Report Abuse
We were afraid of the telephone and we bought it, and we were afraid of the car, and we bought it. We were afraid of the TV and we bought it. So, less losen up living in fear, creates, a parionia. and Prejudices us from expanding our horizons. Get over it. You should everday learn something. Give up living in small circes. End the burying of standard batteries in our soil and oceans. Causing overt pollution. If the battery could be made universal and never changed in it's design it would fit in practically any appliance. Everyday learn something new is invented. Some good and Some bad. This will reduce the use of building neucular power plants. And solve a lot of power problems. Let's get on with the telephone. S, if your into ening the building of new power plants. The Battery up. Get portable.
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6 Posted by scottbickford on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:08PM EDT Report Abuse
just unplug the battery and use it in the newer device.
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7 Posted by project1.fs@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:20PM EDT Report Abuse
I have always had a back of the brain dream that someone some day would develop a power cell like this. Hook as many as physical space would allow in a series and use them to power your electric car. No more gas station stops, no more engine worries, etc. Great idea. Adaptability is the key because of its size. I don't think we should dispose of them in space, however. There is more junk in space now than most people realize.
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8 Posted by topp232 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:17PM EDT Report Abuse
Why don't we use this technology for automotive use, as in a fuel alternative. This way you could get the best use out of the battery. labtops and cell phones, now thats a bad idea. The size of the battery would restrict the size of the device it was being used in.
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9 Posted by khalsell1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:50PM EDT Report Abuse
Well of course this could work how many people use hmmm....AA and AAA batteries in everything all we would have to do is to force all laptop manufactures to use the same type of battery. all toy makers pretty much use the same type of battery so laptops could do the same. what about cars could we do the same wow never put gas in my car. Ahh..... NICE
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10 Posted by antonoro@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:56PM EDT Report Abuse
yoohoo! I've got a never ending love for you, from now on, that's all I want to do... So tired of "battery" light coming on in my laptop... give me something that will keep on ticking...
1 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse
If I remember right the Ball watches use some type of radioactive material in them.