August 2015 - Marine Technology Reporter

MTR100: Southwest Electronic Energy Corp.

Posted by Irina Tabakina

823 Buffalo Run, Missouri City, Texas 77489   
T: +1-281-240-4000     /  E: [email protected]    / W: www.swe.com   
CEO/President: Len Benckenstein   
No. of Employees: 65

 

Since 1964, Southwest Electronic Energy (SWE) has been a pioneer in innovative energy solutions serving the specific needs of original equipment manufacturers.  SWE has changed the game in subsea and oceanographic applications with SWE SeaSafe, a lithium-ion battery solution which powers subsea vehicles, control systems and oceanographic equipment safer and longer with 4X the energy of a sealed lead acid battery. Pressure tolerant to 6000m, SeaSafe batteries include SWE’s patented battery management system, POW-R BMS.  The BMS has the brainpower to assure safe operation, protect the module’s cells from damage, allow reliable distributed battery system architecture, and prolong battery life.  Rechargeable with a standard power supply, SeaSafe Smart  modules are easy to use battery building blocks for customers to integrate in their own oil filled pressure equalization enclosures.  Modules can be connected in series or parallel to meet voltage and capacity (Ah) needs.   The SWE SeaSafe pressure equalizing battery case holds four smart battery modules with systems configured-to-order based on V/Ah requirements.  Each smart module is autonomous with its own BMS containing advanced algorithms for automatic and continuous safety protection, charge control and balancing.  Additional components to support SWE SeaSafe include the Parallel Integrator Isolator (PII) and the SWE SeaSafe Observer Support Software which allows the user to monitor the health of the battery in real time. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has partnered with SWE in the development of SeaSafe, utilizing it in various Nereid AUV and Hybrid ROVs.  SWE’s most recent subsea battery development is pursuing a version of SeaSafe called SeaSafe-Direct, a battery module the same as SeaSafe, except that it could be used directly in the sea water.  Eliminating the cost, size, and weight of the oil filled pressure equalization case would make SeaSafe –Direct even easier to use with higher net energy density. Development is progressing with significant validation tests in process.     
 


The MTR100 is Marine Technology Reporter's Annual report on 100 leading companies in the subsea industry, published in the July/August 2015 edition of MTR - http://www.marinetechnologynews.com/Magazine

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