Trapped Ions for Energy Storage
vs.
Conventional Energy Storage Schemes

(Compare Specific Energy, i.e. Energy Per Mass of Fuel)
Energy For FIRST Level of Ionization of Common Species
(vehicle range does not include conversion efficiency)
    Ionization Specific Vehicle
Ion MW Energy Energy Range
  (g/mole) (kJ/mole) (kJ/kg) (miles)
Br-  79.904 324 4055 1067
C-  12.011 108 8992 2366
Cl-  35.4527 348 9816 2583
F-  18.9984 333 17528 4613
Br-  79.904 324 4055 1067
H-  1.00794 77 76393 20104
I-  126.9045 296 2332 614
O-  15.9996 142 8875 2336
S-  32.066 200 6237 1641
BF3-  67.8062 255 3761 990
NO2-  46.00594 377 8195 2156
O2-  31.9992 43 1344 354
SF6-  146.0564 138 945 249
WF6-  297.9304 264 886 233
UF6-  352.0193 280 795 209
CH3-  15.03482 104 6917 1820
C2H5-  29.0617 104 3579 942
C6H5-  77.1057 210 2724 717
CF3-  69.0062 179 2594 683
CCl3-  118.3691 117 988 260
SiF3-  85.0807 323 3796 999
NH2-  16.02262 108 6740 1774
PH2-  32.98958 154 4668 1228
OH-  17.00754 176 10348 2723
CN-  26.01774 305 11723 3085
Ionization Energies As Electron Affinities
- compiled from 56th Edition of CRC Handbook, page E-67
Traditional Energy Conversion Systems
Storage  Specific Vehicle
System
 Energy Range
(kJ/kg) (miles)
Lithium Hydride 700°C 3,800 1000
2-cycle Aviation Engine 3,010 790
4-cycle Auto Engine 1,440 380
Phosphorus Combustion 1380 360
Magnesium Combustion 980 260
Thermite 520 140
Zinc Air Battery 400 105
Lead Acid Battery 120 30
Flywheel 80 20
Compressed Air 70 18
Rubber Band 20 5
temperature, thermal, and thermodynamics implications
a ceramic thermos bottle of  "cold ions"
- compiled from Culp , "Principles of Energy Conversion" 1978

Last Updated on 5/16/98
By L. Van Warren
Email: lvwarren at wdv dot com