QuantumSphere, Inc. has released the MetAir Ranger series for on-demand back-up power in off-grid and emergency applications. QSI’s MetAir Ranger portable power system has received independent validation that it surpasses the industry’s 72-hour emergency preparedness benchmark. The system achieved 108 hours of instantly accessible emergency power.
The MetAir Ranger, a 3.2 kilowatt hour battery system weighing less than 25 pounds, yields energy densities of 352 Wh / Kg and costs per kilowatt hour of less than $200. The MetAir portable power systems utilize QSI’s proprietary cathode technology. While one MetAir Ranger system is about the size of a single deep cycle lead acid battery, it is roughly half the weight and has 11 times the equivalent energy per kilogram. It is also designed to accept replaceable power cartridges once the initial system is “air” activated and used. The MetAir Ranger series is essentially a “plug and play” box of portable energy and requires no external energy sources to stay charged. The MetAir Ranger has an optional 150 watt 110 volt AC inverter with two outlets and a USB charging port.
In comparison to the commonly available battery types used today, such as Lithium-ion, Nickel metal hydride and Lead acid, QSI’s technology is based on a safe and proven zinc-air battery chemistry that is cost effective to manufacture and easy to use. Zinc-air batteries are electro-chemical batteries powered by oxidizing zinc metal powder (a non-combustible, non-toxic and abundant domestic material) with oxygen from the air to generate an electrical current. In addition, Zinc-air batteries have very high energy densities and an unprecedented shelf life of up to 10 years before initial use. Sizes range from small button cells for hearing aids, mid-size for remote portable power applications, to very large systems used for electric vehicle propulsion.
