Developer and manufacturer of lithium-iron phosphate battery technology K2 Energy has secured an $81.4m order for an intermediate battery storage system for an US Navy rail gun project.
The lithium-iron phosphate battery is aimed to power the large modular capacitor bank of the electromagnetic rail gun.
According to K2 Energy, the developed battery technology does not experience thermal runaway and has a more robust design than typical pouch cells. Each battery is packaged in robust steel enclosures, preventing it from being affected by thermal damage from nearby batteries or external sources.
The railgun uses electricity rather than gunpowder or rocket motors for its massive pulse of required electricity to launch a projectile at a very high rate of speed. The projectile can hit a potential target positioned as far as 200 nautical miles away from the point of release in about six minutes.
“This effort underscores the Navy’s commitment to environmentally sound, clean power as its energy demands grow,” said Nevada-based K2 Energy CEO Johnnie Stoker.
The battery system is to be completed by December 2016.
The US Navy awarded K2 Energy the contract mid-2014, but only placed its first order now.