Powder production is often the rate limiting step in thermal battery production. The current powder production technique for lithium-based alloys and electrolyte is costly, labor intensive, time consuming, and leads to highly variable product. Because of the extremely reactive nature of these… More

Thermal Batteries are reliable, high energy density power sources that have very long shelf lives. Optimal performance of these batteries depends on the insulation material and detailed design. There have been many studies that have investigated the use of a particular type or class of insulation.… More

Thermal batteries are the power source of choice for many weapon systems. While thermal batteries offer designers several key advantages, the design and integration of this technology into new applications suffers from two significant impediments. The first is the lack of suitable design tools, and… More

The welding of titanium is of rapidly increasing importance to the Army, and this trend will accelerate as low-cost titanium becomes available. To facilitate the use of titanium in a growing set of applications, a rapid, reliable, and inexpensive joining process must be established. Gas metal arc… More

The formation of continuous chips during metal fabrication adversely affects production times, worker safety, and production costs. The Army's ever increasing need for greater mobility and lethality demand greater precision in the machining of traditionally hard-to-machine materials, while balancing… More

Welding titanium is becoming increasingly important to the Army, and this trend will accelerate as low-cost titanium becomes available. To facilitate the use of titanium in a growing set of cost-sensitive applications, rapid, reliable, and inexpensive joining processes must be established. For… More

Thermal batteries are a power source for many MDA programs. As mission requirements push the limits of battery lifetime, optimizing the thermal insulation used in the batteries becomes increasingly important. Another design challenge is to create batteries with unconventional configurations for… More

Thermal batteries are the power source of choice for many weapon systems. While thermal batteries offer designers several key advantages, the design and integration of this technology into new applications suffers from two significant impediments. The first is the lack of suitable design tools, and… More

Over-the-horizon communications and information networks are beginning to produce sustainable capabilities for Earth science operations using advanced unpiloted vehicles. There is a growing need for affordable desktop access to globally deployable data acquisition and data processing sensor-web… More

Reserve lithium oxyhalide and silver/zinc batteries are power sources of choice for many missiles and other weapons systems. These batteries achieve long shelf life by storing the liquid electrolyte separately in a reservoir. Upon activation, the electrolyte is injected quickly into the battery… More

Reserve lithium oxyhalide and silver/zinc batteries are power sources of choice for many missiles and other weapons systems. These batteries achieve long shelf life by storing the liquid electrolyte separately in a reservoir. Upon activation, the electrolyte is rapidly injected into the battery… More

Thermal batteries are a power source for most MDA weapons systems. Some of these systems have severe constraints on weight and size, and for this reason, advanced thermal batteries are needed that can provide greater power in smaller and lighter packages. The key components of conventional thermal… More

Thermal batteries are a power source for most MDA weapons systems. Some of these applications place severe constraints on battery weight and size. The key components of thermal batteries are typically made by hydraulically pressing powders into"pellets". The pellets must be greater than… More