There is provided a method of synthesizing a porous carbon-sulfur composite comprising the step of carbonizing a carbon material having a metal-organic framework (MOF) at a temperature of 800-1000° C. to produce a porous carbon, mixing and heating the porous carbon with sulfur to infuse the sulfur (melt diffusion) into the pores of the porous carbon and removing excess sulfur not infused into the pores or present on the surface of the porous carbon. There is also provided a cathode comprising the porous carbon-sulfur composite and a method of preparing the cathode by mixing with conductive carbon and a polymer binder. The cathode finds use in an electrochemical cell comprising a sodium or lithium anode.

A metal foil including on at least one of its sides a layer of a material including: a metal or a metal alloy, carbon, hydrogen, and optionally oxygen, the atomic percentage of the metal or of the metals of the alloy in the material ranging from 10 to 60%, the atomic percentage of carbon in the material ranging from 35 to 70%, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the material ranging from 2 to 20%, and the atomic percentage of oxygen if present in the material being less than or equal to 10%. The metal foil can be used in the manufacture of a cathode of a lithium-ion electrochemical cell. The deposition of this layer reduces the internal resistance of the cell.

A method for manufacturing an electrochemical device, implementing a process for manufacturing a porous electrode having a porous layer deposited on a substrate, the porous layer having a porosity of between 20% and 60% by volume and pores with an average diameter of less than 50 nm. The method includes providing a substrate and a colloidal suspension including aggregates or agglomerates of monodisperse primary nanoparticles of an active electrode material, having an average primary diameter of between 2 and 60 nm, the aggregates or agglomerates having an average diameter of between 50 nm and 300 nm, then depositing a layer from the colloidal suspension on the substrate, then drying and consolidating the layer to obtain a mesoporous layer, and then depositing a coating of an electronically conductive material on and inside the pores of the layer.

A molten metal battery system includes a plurality of secondary cells electrically connected in series with each other and comprising a plurality of molten metal anodes arranged fluidly in parallel with each other. The system also includes a plurality of electrically isolated molten metal reservoirs, each of the molten metal reservoirs fluidly connected to a corresponding secondary cell of the plurality of secondary cells and configured to exchange molten metal with the corresponding secondary cell while preventing electrical shunt current from flowing between the plurality of secondary cells via the molten metal.

Two or more strings are connected in parallel. The strings each include two or more cells and a fuse. The two or more cells are connected in series. The fuse is connected in series to the two or more cells. Combustion of the cells do not occur when heat generated per unit time by the cells is less than or equal to an upper limit. The number of series-connected cells is determined to be less than or equal to a threshold value, within which the electric power converted into heat by a short-circuited cell in the event of a failure reaches the upper limit. The fusing current matches with a charging current that flows to a fault string when the electric power converted into heat by a short-circuited cell in the event of a failure reaches the upper limit.

A combined heat and power plant for the decentralized supply of power and of heat may include at least one prime mover for providing electrical energy while providing waste gas, at least one thermal store for storing thermal energy provided by the waste gas, and at least one high-temperature battery in which the electrical energy provided by the prime mover can be stored. The high-temperature battery can be supplied by the waste gas provided by the prime mover to keep the high-temperature battery warm.

A sodium-sulfur battery according to the present invention is provided with a reservoir space 100 that retains and solidifies a high-temperature molten material having flowed out of a cell 4, in order to prevent the high-temperature molten material from leaking out of a casing 1, even when an accident occurs to generate the high-temperature molten material inside the casing. The reservoir space 100 can be formed along a perimeter of the casing 1, or alternatively, can be formed inside the casing 1. The reservoir space 100 includes, for example, a composite member 15 of a rigid member 11, a heat-insulating material 12, and a heat-resisting material 13.

Regarding an independent system, a prediction value of charged/discharged power of a storage battery is calculated, based on a prediction value of generated power of a renewable energy power generator, a prediction value of demanded power of a control device, and a prediction value of demanded power of a load on an assumption that a power supply limit is applied to the load. Whether or not charge or discharge of the storage battery with charged/discharged power matching the prediction value of the charged/discharged power of the storage battery is possible is determined. The power supply limit is tightened when it is determined that the charge or discharge of the storage battery is not possible. A limit data indicating a detail of the power supply limit is output when it is determined that the charge or discharge of the storage battery is possible.

Two or more module batteries are arranged in an array and connected through wiring. The outer surface of a first side wall of a case faces in a first direction without facing the others of the two or more module batteries. Second and third side walls of the case are spaced from each other in a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. Two or more string groups are arranged linearly in the second direction. The positive electrode current collecting part extends along the inner surface of the second side wall, the positive electrode extension part extends along the inner surface of the first side wall, and the positive electrode feedthrough part penetrates through the first side wall. The positive electrode current collecting part, the positive electrode extension part, the positive electrode feedthrough part, and the wiring are electrically connected to one another.

Provided is a battery assembly having a distributed cooling and fire protection system, the battery assembly comprising: (a) a plurality of battery cells; (b) a case configured to hold the plurality of battery cells; and (c) a cooling liquid distribution system, having a cooling liquid reservoir and/or pipes that are in proximity to at least a subset of the plurality of the cells and configured to deliver, on demand, a desired amount of the first cooling liquid on a cell or multiple cells in the vicinity of the cell when a temperature of the cell exceeds a threshold temperature; wherein the first cooling liquid comprises a fire protection or fire suppression substance which, on contact with the cell, prevents, retards, or extinguishes a cell fire and prevents a propagation or cell-to-cell cascading reactions of a thermal runaway or fire event.