Applications
Grid Energy Storage
Safe large-scale energy storage for smart city grids and microgrids
Electric Propulsion
Energy storage for efficient electric cars, buses and trucks
Military
Electric propulsion for air, ground, sea and underwater vehicles
Advanced Rail
Electric propulsion for passenger and freight locomotives
PWRJoule Technology
- Long-lasting and reliable design
- Safe water-based chemistry
- Low-cost sustainable materials
- Environmentally friendly technology
- Excellent reusability and recyclability
- Sustainable distribution of electricity
- Patent Pending
PWRJoule
Magnetic Flow Battery
System Diagram
MFB Schematic
The PWRJoule MFB optimizes energy storage density and power density by separating the functions
MFB Functional Diagram
The MFB stores energy and recovers energy by transferring ions across a separator at high power density levels in a compact Ion Transfer Cell (ITC)
MFB Animation
This is how the MFB system works
PWRJoule
PWRJoule Technology
The road to energy independence
Scalable technology
BATTERY SAFETY @ PWRJoule
Safety is Priority Number One
Battery safety is the primary driver at PWRJoule. Safety is managed through multiple layers of design including both hardware and software protections. Safety and thermal management are a major part of design and testing. Our magnetic flow battery chemistries are water-based and non-flammable. Our battery systems contain multiple layers of safety at the cell, module, battery and system levels. These levels of control also ensure optimal battery performance to maximize total life cycle cost. This is accomplished using a proprietary battery management system (BMS) developed specifically for PWRJoule magnetic flow battery technology.
Avoid Lithium Battery Hazards
Batteries present both electrical and chemical hazards. Standard lithium-ion batteries are not suitable for large-scale applications such as electrical utility grid energy storage. There have many battery fires and safety recalls with lithium batteries. The batteries must be significantly scaled up in size to support large installations. As a result, the safety issues and potentially devastating safety effects from incidents also scales up accordingly.
Fault Tolerant Technology
A particular problem with lithium batteries is that they are subject to thermal runaway and cell-to-cell propagation of thermal runaway. An internal short-circuit or fire can start in just one cell and quickly engulf the entire battery. This has been observed many times in commercial applications like electric vehicles. PWRJoule technology is not subject to thermal runaway and faults will not propagate through the entire battery system.
THE TEAM
Bret Raymis - CEO, Co-Founder and Executive Board Member
Bret has a vast array of experience in developing new technologies and business. Bret's foundation started in the US Army as an Avionics technician working on UH-1H helicopters. As a vet, Bret was hired by Bell Laboratories in Allentown, PA. to start his career in electronics.
Bret has extensive background in business. His entrepreneurial spirit started out by mowing neighborhood yards as a teenager. Bret was a primary founder to a startup Solar Power Technologies in Austin, TX that raised over $25M. Bret has held director seats on multiple boards. He recently served on the finest and oldest environmental nonprofit organization I Love a Clean San Diego.
Bret can adapt to almost any environment. Bret is willing to help wherever necessary to move the company in a positive direction.
Bret has also developed a multitude of flows for physical design. Bret's design flows included many technologies and software tools. Bret stream lines the process into an efficient technique and then teaches for peers.
Bret is well versed in highly technical and complex engineering of integrated semiconductors circuits. Bret has worked on some of the most profitable products in the world. Many of his circuit designs have grossed over $500M. They include the first audio and sound chips for Apple and Commodore Computers. Bret's layouts have been on Qualcomm's very successful Snapdragon 800 series processors for mobile phones. Bret has lead teams for over 50 integrated circuit chips in his career.
Bret has been CEO and board member of PWRJOULE LLC for almost 3 years. During his lead, the company has bootstrapped the company from technology readiness level 1, (TRL), to current TRL 3. PWRJOULE has two provisional patents for our magnetic particle flow battery. PWRJOULE has a team of excellent engineers poised to step up to full time positions upon major funding due to equity.
William “Bill” Nunnally - VP of Engineering, Co-Founder and board member
Bill has been a leader in the field of electronics. Bill has held many prestigious positions such as staff member position at Los Alamos, a professor of electrical engineering role at UT, a director at UT for Applied Physical Electronics Research Center, a faculty member at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a professor of electrical engineering at University of Missouri, and consultant for numerous high-tech companies.
Just prior to PWRJOULE, Bill was primary Chief Scientist at Applied Physical Electronics for 11 years creating high power electro-magnetics, high power antennas, pulsed power systems, high power lasers and laser applications, optics and integrated optics, magnetic pulse compression and magnetic switches, pulse transformers, spark gap (oil, water, gas and multi-channel gas)switches , HV (tens of kV) photo-conductive switches, electro-magnetic (coil, rail, and hybrid) launchers, GHz transient diagnostics and Lithium Ion Micro Particle Fuel Cells.
Bill is the primary technology officer behind the magnetic particle flow battery, MPFB. It has been Bill’s idea for many years to create a MPFB that would be safer, longer lasting and less expensive type battery than current lithium technology.
Bill has tirelessly devoted thousands of hours on experiments in his garages to take the IP from TRL1 to TRL3. Bill has supported PWRJOULE in funding and as a board member for more than 3 years.
Brent Bennett - Policy Director, Co-Founder and Board Member
Brent is currently the policy director for Life: Powered a project of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to raise America's energy IQ and ensure access to abundant, affordable, and reliable energy for Americans and the entire world. Prior to joining Life: Powered, Brent performed financial research at Dimensional Fund Advisors and worked as a sales engineer at an Austin-area battery materials startup. He has a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, where his research focused on flow batteries for utility-scale energy storage. Brent is passionate about combining his technical skills with his business and communication skills to bring new ideas from academic and industry research to the market.
Specialties:
• Energy policy and market research
• Financial research, in particular factor investing and retirement products
• Scientific computing and modeling: R, SQL, MATLAB
• Consulting and technology commercialization
• Battery development and testing: flow batteries, lead-acid batteries, fuel cells
• Electrochemical engineering and materials characterization
• Small business finance and management
Brent served as a board member. Currently Brent is serving PWRJOULE as a technical advisor in the areas of cell engineering and application research. Brent’s PhD from the UT has helped in the research on novel flow battery chemistries like what PWRJOULE is developing. Brent has experience in several types of battery businesses, ranging from electric vehicle batteries to utility-scale energy storage.
Ed Hall - VP Business Development
Ed is an Experienced Senior Executive leader with broad industrial technology and engineering experience. Ed's education focused on Mechanical Engineering and led to doctoral research in computational aerodynamics. This specialty led him to spend 18 years in technical development of military and commercial aircraft engines with Allison/Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis, IN.
Ed then joined the General Electric Global Research Center in Niskayuna New York, where he served as Global Technology Leader for Physical Sciences - the intersection of Mechanics, Physics and Engineering Design. This was a unique opportunity to lead teams developing technical advances in X-ray tubes, gas turbine engines, wind turbines and high energy devices for healthcare imaging. Within GE, Ed moved to the Transportation Division where he led the Engine Engineering organization. From 2010-2015 the business launched 5 new engine platforms including the first locomotive to meet EPA Tier 4 emissions requirements without aftertreatment - a significant technical accomplishment.
In 2016 Ed assumed the role of Senior General Manager Engineering for GE Onshore Wind, part of GE Renewable Energy. Over the last 5 years the business launched new platforms for power-limited, land limited, low wind speed and repower markets. Product developments and technology innovations such as jointed blades, carbon fiber composites, load management and electrical architecture helped offset market price declines and improved levelized cost of electricity for wind turbines by 25% over 5 years. Wind is now the cheapest new electricity source. The business grew market share in the US by focusing on product efficiency, speed to market and reduced warranty expense.
Over 18 years as a senior executive at GE Ed facilitated strong corporate and industrial compliance, safety and integrity, as well as leading new products with industry-leading technology.
Dwaine Coates - Battery Expert, Co-Founder and Board Member
Dwaine is a Boeing Technical Fellow (retired) and has experience working in the aviation, military, electric vehicle, alternative energy and aerospace industry. Skilled in Systems Integration, Electrical Power Systems, Testing, Engineering Management, Lean Enterprise Six Sigma Black Belt, Lithium-ion Batteries, and Batteries of all types.
Dwaine is a battery consultant with 40 years of experience in batteries of all types. He consults on battery and battery-related issues including design, engineering, modeling and simulation, technology, manufacturing, root cause analysis, applications, documentation, safety, reliability, testing, system integration, lean enterprise, customer support, quality and supplier management.
Boeing Designated Expert (BDE), Battery Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Technical Lead Engineer (TLE). Founded and led the Boeing Enterprise Level Battery Community of Practice (CoP) for 15 years. Background in chemistry, electronics and electrochemistry.
Selected as the Advanced Networks & Space Systems Engineer of the Year, 787 Dreamliner Return to Flight award, Advanced Networks & Space Systems Space Exploration Engineering Excellence Award, Starliner Manned Spacecraft Award, Knowledge Award for Battery Design and Development, 787 Dreamliner Battery Recovery Team National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Award, Boeing Phantom Works Outstanding Achievement Award for 787 Dreamliner Battery, Boeing Inventor Award from Boeing Chief Technology Officer.
Authored a chapter in Linden's Handbook of Batteries, 3rd Edition (worldwide industry standard reference for batteries and energy storage technology). Awarded six US Patents for battery technology. Former member of the Power Systems Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Electrochemical Society ECS), the American Materials Society (AMS) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Electrical Power Systems Committee. Conducted business in more than 25 countries.
Authored more than 80 Technical Publications and Conference Presentations. Presented invited lectures at several universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Florida Atlantic University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
US Army Veteran – M.S. Chemistry Purdue University