Ford Precision Battery Tester
In order to test how long it takes a battery to decay, companies must perform years of expensive testing -- expenses that eventually get passed on to consumers. This device is able to test batteries more precisely, which cuts testing time and will ultimately lower the price of the car.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Fuel Cells in Space
This is a model of a lighter and less complicated fuel cell with no moving parts that NASA has developed to fuel the next generation of spacecraft.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
A Replacement for Trailered Generators
This Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement or MTVR is a truck that has the ability to serve as a mobile radar or mobile command center without the need for additional support vehicles or trailered generators.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
ThermoLift: Efficient Natural Gas Heating & Cooling
ThermoLift, a recipient of a grant from the Energy Department’s Buildings Technology Office, uses thermal energy from natural gas to heat and cool efficiently -- reducing energy costs by up to 50 percent.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
The Difference Between Electric Vehicle Batteries
A presenter breaks down how batteries in various electric vehicles differ and how that affects their performance.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Local Motors' 3D-printed Car
The Local Motors 3D-printed car -- the first-ever 3D-printed vehicle -- was a major attraction at the showcase. The design was the result of a contest with over 200 submissions.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Customize your Car
Instead of the thousands of parts that make up the average car, the 3D-printed vehicle is made up of fewer than 50 parts. One day you might be able to design your car, print it, add a motor and go!
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Simple Problem, Complex Solution
The safest way to transport compressed natural gas, or CNG, is in a cylindrical canister, but these cylinders are bulky and take up lots of room in vehicles. This new design allows for safe containment of CNG while allowing for easier storage.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Sorting Metals
After a car or appliance is shredded, lots of small pieces of metal end up going to the landfill because there isn’t a way to sort them out from the other scrap. This machine uses magnetic fields at varying frequencies to repel different metals and sort aluminum from copper from scrap rubber and plastic -- allowing companies to sell the metal at higher rates and keeping it from being thrown away.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.
Saving Energy by Repelling Water
Frost on aluminum refrigerator coils builds up and begins to block the airway, meaning refrigerators have to defrost four to six times per day -- a major energy cost. The aluminum pictured on the left is coated with Slips, a coating that keeps water from sticking to the surface, allowing refrigerator coils to defrost only once per week -- saving both money and energy.
Image: Photo courtesy of Matty Greene, Energy Department.