NRD Battery: 100 Years of Power or Niche Sensor Graveyard? Experts Clash Over Nanowatt Reality
The discussion centers on the viability of NRD’s alleged 100-year lifespan power source, whose output is consistently pegged between 7.5 nA and 33 nA. The core technical issue is that the current output operates in the nanowatt range, severely limiting practical consumer application.
Commenters are sharply split on utility. Some, like Thorry, dismiss the tech entirely, arguing the output is functionally useless for general use. Others, citing davidgro and doomsdayrs, defend its niche potential, suggesting these low outputs are perfect for remote, hard-to-reach monitoring arrays where longevity trumps high power. Sxan provided the sharpest technical critique, arguing a simple capacitor discharge won't handle the charge, suggesting a specialized 'battacitor' mechanism is required.
The weight of the analysis confirms the power output is too low for general electronics. While the longevity is claimed, the consensus reality is that these batteries are constrained to highly specialized, ultra-low-draw sensor tasks. The fundamental division remains between skepticism over public utility and specialized acceptance for extreme reliability applications.
Key Points
The NRD battery's power output is limited to the nanowatt range (7.5 nA to 33 nA).
This low output is the central fact acknowledged by nearly all commentators, underpinning the entire debate.
The technology is not a breakthrough, but an iteration of older atomic battery concepts.
mbirth noted that similar systems, like NanoTritium, have documentation dating back to 2008.
The power output is insufficient for general consumer electronics.
Thorry stated the power level makes the batteries 'useless for the general public.'
Low, consistent output is ideal for inaccessible sensor arrays.
davidgro and doomsdayrs advocated for the technology's use in long-term, low-draw monitoring systems.
Standard capacitor discharge cannot manage the nA current; a specialized mechanism is needed.
Sxan introduced the concept of a 'battacitor' to manage the necessary charge accumulation for clock-cycle discharge.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.