Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of nickel cadmium batteries in photovoltaic applications. The nickel cadmium battery cells have five basic components: (1) positive plates, (2) negative plates, (3) insulators, (4) electrolyte of potassium hydroxide, and (5) a container. The active materials are nickel hydroxide for the positive plates and cadmium hydroxide for the negative plates. The alkaline electrolyte in the cell does not react with steel, which means that the supporting structure and current carrying parts remain intact and unchanged for the life of the battery. There no corrosion in a nickel cadmium cell as the alkaline electrolyte actually acts as a preservative to the steel components in the cell's mechanical structure. The stable chemistry and predictability of this battery system makes it extremely reliable. In case of accidental mistreatment of batteries, no battery replacement would be required if nickel cadmium batteries are used. It is capable of operating at wide temperature range and under difficult operating conditions. With a large electrolyte reserve, very little time needs to be spent on maintenance. Nickel cadmium batteries can be overcharged, charged in reverse, short circuited, and mistreated in many ways without any harm to the battery.
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