CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -While high temperature sodium sulphur batteries have charge storage capacity of about 558 mAh per gram, the battery designed by the IIT Madras team was able to achieve as much as 1, 034 mAh per gram at a current density of 50 mA per gram.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sodium Sulfur (NaS) Batteries were originally developed by Ford Motor Company in the 1960s and subsequently the technology was sold to the Japanese company NGK. NGK now manufactures the battery systems for stationary applications.

Detailed explanation-3: -The sodium sulphur battery is a high-temperature battery. It operates at 300°C and utilises a solid electrolyte, making it unique among the common secondary cells.

Detailed explanation-4: -There are programmes underway to develop lower temperature sodium sulfur batteries. This type of cell has been used for energy storage in renewable applications. The largest installation to date is a 34 MW, 245 MWh facility in Japan that is used for grid support to provide wind energy stabilization.

Detailed explanation-5: -Long Cycle Life Dendrite-Free Sodium–Metal Anode Conventional liquid electrolytes for Na–S batteries have high polysulfide solubility and Na reactivity, resulting in severe NaPS shuttling and uncontrollable dendritic sodium growth, as illustrated in Figure 1a.