Nickel-hydrogen Battery Research Articles

99/02604 Orbital simulation life tests of nickel hydrogen batteries with additional non-eclipse cycles

99/02604 Orbital simulation life tests of nickel hydrogen batteries with additional non-eclipse cycles

99/02073 A study on the use of phase change material to improve the heat transfer characteristics of nickel-hydrogen single pressure vessel batteries: Spencer, S. and Garner, C. Proc. Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf. [computer optical disk], 1998, 33, IECEC329/1–IECEC329/6

99/02073 A study on the use of phase change material to improve the heat transfer characteristics of nickel-hydrogen single pressure vessel batteries: Spencer, S. and Garner, C. Proc. Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf. [computer optical disk], 1998, 33, IECEC329/1–IECEC329/6

Orbital simulation life tests of nickel hydrogen batteries with additional non-eclipse cycles

Abstract Nickel–hydrogen battery technology has established itself as the system of choice to provide energy storage on board Earth orbiting satellites. In addition to providing electrical power for the satellite during the periods the satellite's solar arrays are eclipsed by the Earth, applications are evolving (such as ion propulsion) where the battery is required to supplement the power supplied to the spacecraft by the solar panels in order to meet the peak power demands. In this paper, the results of a four-year accelerated life test programme, equivalent to more than 20 years in orbit, are reported. Additional non-eclipse cycles were added to both the eclipse and solstice seasons of each simulated spacecraft year. The results show that the additional discharges do not significantly effect the rates of performance degradation of the batteries.

Electrochemical characteristics of an amorphous Mg0.9V0.1Ni alloy prepared by mechanical alloying

Electrochemical characteristics of an amorphous MgNi alloy with Mg partially substituted by V were investigated. A Mg0.9V0.1Ni alloy prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) exhibited much better cycle life than MgNi alloy. It was found that the partial substitution of Mg in MgNi with V could suppress the formation of Mg(OH)2 on the alloy surface during the charge–discharge cycling in alkaline solution. This may have unveiled an important factor to improve cycle life of the Mg-based alloy for use in nickel–hydrogen batteries.

Thermodynamic behavior of Ni–Cd and Ni–H2 batteries over wide ranges of temperatures (0–200°C), KOH concentrations (0.1–20 mol kg−1) and H2 pressure (0.1–500 bar)

For simulating the full discharged and charged states of nickel–cadmium and nickel–hydrogen batteries, thermodynamic characteristics such as the equilibrium Ee and thermoneutral ET potentials of the cells have been calculated over wide ranges of temperatures (0°–200°C), potassium hydroxide concentrations (0.1–20 mol kg−1) and hydrogen pressures (0.1–500 bar). The effects of non-ideality of the hydrogen gas phase and potassium hydroxide aqueous solution were taken into account by using available thermodynamic and experimental data. The effect of temperature, potassium hydroxide concentration, and hydrogen pressures on Ee and ET have been analyzed.

5478664 Method of recovering reusable metals from nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery: Kaneko Akihito; Kitazume Nobuyuki; Okada Chikara Sendai, Japan assigned to Santoku Metal Industry Co Ltd

5478664 Method of recovering reusable metals from nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery: Kaneko Akihito; Kitazume Nobuyuki; Okada Chikara Sendai, Japan assigned to Santoku Metal Industry Co Ltd

96/06118 Voltage and capacity stability of the Hubble telescope nickel-hydrogen battery

For the first time, the effects of designed siloxane derivative N-triethoxysilylpropyl 3,4,5-tris(tetradecyloxy) benzamide (Compound 1) as an electrolyte additive on the electrochemical properties of gelled electrolyte valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery were investigated. Results show that Compound 1 decreased gelled electrolyte resistance and possibly triggered the formation of large inorganic crystals due to the poly-condensation reaction. In addition, the hydrogen evolution process was inhibited and the stability of gelled electrolyte by the experiment of released liquid was significantly improved by addition of Compound 1.

Nickel-hydrogen batteries - An overview

This article on nickel-hydrogen batteries is an overview of the various nickel-hydrogen battery design options, technical accomplishments, validation test results, and trends. There is more than one nickel-hydrogen battery design, each having its advantage for specific applications. The major battery designs are Individual Pressure Vessel (IPV), Common Pressure Vessel (CPV), bipolar, and low-pressure metal hydride. State-of-the-art nickel-hydrogen batteries are replacing nickel-cadmium batteries in almost all geosynchronous Earth orbit applications requiring power above 1 kW. However, for the more severe Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) applications (greater than 30,000 cycles), the current cycle life of 4000-10,000 cycles at 60 - 80 % DOD should be improved. A NASA Lewis Research Center innovative advanced design IPV nickel-hydrogen cell led to a breakthrough in cycle life enabling LEO applications at deep Depths of Discharge (DOD). A trend for some future satellites is to increase the power level to greater than 6 kW. Another trend is to decrease the power to less than 1 kW for small low-cost satellites. Hence, the challenge is to reduce battery mass, volume, and cost. A key is to develop a lightweight nickel electrode and alternate battery designs. A CPV nickel-hydrogen battery is emerging as a viable alternative to the IPV design. It has the advantage of reduced mass, volume, and manufacturing costs. A 10-A-h CPV battery has successfully provided power on the relatively short-lived Clementine spacecraft. A bipolar nickel -hydrogen battery design has been demonstrated (15,000 LEO cycles, 40 % DOD). The advantage is also a significant reduction in volume, a modest reduction in mass, and like most bipolar designs, features a high-pulse power capability. A low-pressure aerospace nickel-metal-hydride battery cell has been developed and is on the market. It is a prismatic design that has the advantage of a significant reduction in volume and a reduction in manufacturing cost.

Current status of nickel-hydrogen battery technology development

Nickel-hydrogen (NiH2) batteries are widely used in Earth-orbital satellites. Several advanced NiH2 cell and battery designs are under development, including common pressure vessel (CPV)» single pressure vessel (SPY), and dependent pressure vessel designs. Cells are being manufactured in sizes ranging from 64 to 250 mm in diameter. CPV NiH2 batteries, utilizing low-cost 64-mm cell diameter technology, have been designed and built for several small satellite programs. An advanced 90-mm-diam NiH2 cell design is being manufactured for the space station program. Production 250-mm-diam SPY batteries are currently under construction and initial testing has shown excellent results. Cell component level development is aimed at reducing battery cost while improving performance and maintaining reliability and cycle life. NiH2 cycle life testing is being continued and cells have currently completed more than 95,000 accelerated low-Earth-orbit charge/discharge cycles and 30 eclipse seasons in accelerated geosynchronous-Earth-orbit testing. Nickel-metal hydride battery development is continuing for both aerospace and electric vehicle applications.

Space-Station nickel-hydrogen battery orbital replacement unit test

The International Space Station electrical power system utilizes nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries as part of its power system to store electrical energy. The batteries are charged during insolation and discharged during eclipse. The batteries are designed to operate at a 35% depth of discharge maximum during normal operation. Thirty-eight individual pressure vessel Ni-H2 battery cells are series-connected and packaged in an orbit replacement unit (ORU). Two ORUs are series connected, a total of 76 cells, to form one battery. The International Space Station will be the first application for low Earth orbit cycling of this quantity of series connected cells. The Space Station Photovoltaic Electronics Team, consisting of NASA and Rocketdyne personnel, began a unique test program at the Power Systems Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The test plan was created to evaluate near- and long-term performance as a battery as well as charge management characteristics. The testing would also validate the ORU configuration including the ORU box and thermal interface design. This article describes the test program and the results of the 3000 LEO cycles on a Space Station engineering model battery.

Kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction in stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric hydrogen storage alloys for nickel-hydrogen batteries

The kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction in stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric hydrogen storage alloys with compositions of Mm(Ni 3.6Mn 0.4Al 0.3Co 0.7) x (Mm = misch metal, 0.88 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.12) were investigated by measuring the overvoltage decay immediately after the interruption of an applied cathodic current. The total overvoltage η for hydrogen evolution was divided into two components (η 1 and η 2) corresponding to the elementary reactions. The mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction was analyzed on the basis of the dependence of η 1 and η 2 on current density. The effect of the stoichiometric ratio on the performance of the alloys as a negative electrode material in nickel-hydrogen batteries was discussed from the standpoint of relative velocity of the elementary reactions.

Voltage and capacity stability of the Hubble telescope nickel-hydrogen battery

The power system of the Hubble Space Telescope includes two orbital replacement units, each containing three nickel-hydrogen (NiH 2) batteries of 88 Ah capacity. Since launch in April 1990, the batteries have completed 23 000 charge and discharge cycles and continue to meet the power demands of the satellite. The voltage, capacity, and pressure characteristics of all six batteries were analyzed to determine the state of health of the battery and to identify any signs of performance degradation. The battery pressures have changed to varying degrees. The end-of-charge pressure for battery 4 increased by 96 psi, while that for battery 3 decreased by 37 psi. The voltages of the individual cells show a decay rate of 0.69 mV per 1000 cycles, and the capacity of the batteries has apparently decreased, possibly due to the system being operated at a lower stage of charge. Autonomous battery operation involving charge termination at a preselected voltage continues to restore the energy dissipated during each orbit. The accumulated data on voltages and recharge ratios can be used to design new temperature-compensated voltage levels for similar missions that employ NiH 2 batteries.

Diffusion-limited self-discharge reaction in the Hubble space telescope battery

The self-discharge rate of aerospace flight-quality nickel-hydrogen batteries is limited by hydrogen diffusion within the nickel electrode active material. A diffusion-limited reaction model is developed which accounts for the observed self-discharge behavior. Effective hydrogen diffusion coefficients were calculated from the open-circuit self-discharge data on Hubble space telescope flight-quantified nickel-hydrogen cells and ranged from 1.12×10 −10 cm 2/sec at 25°C to 7.45×10 −12 cm 2/sec at 0°C.

Electrochemical properties of the non-stoichiometric hydrogen storage alloys for nickel-hydrogen batteries

Behavior of the negative electrodes consisted of alleys with the composition of Mm(Ni3.6Mn0.4Al0.3Co0.7)x (Mm = misch metal, 0.88 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.12) was investigated to elucidate the effect of stoichiometric ratio on the electrode properties. The maximum discharge capacity at around x = 0.96, which was measured at a current density of 200 mA g−1, was found to be correlated with the unit-cell volume of the alloys. The discharge efficiency increased with increasing x value and reached about 85.2% even at a high current density of 2000 mA g−1, for the alloy with x = 1.12. The improvement in high-rate dischargeability was explained on the basis of high diffusibility of hydrogen in bulk of alloys as the result of the relatively low stability of the hydride and the high electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen electrode reactions of the negative electrode.

Kinetics of hydrogen evolution reaction at nonstoichiometric hydrogen storage alloys for nickel-hydrogen batteries

The kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction at Mm(B5)x electrodes (Mm = misch metal, B5 = Ni3.6Mn0.4Al0.3Co0.7 x = 0.88, 1.00 and 1.12) was investigated by measuring the potential decay immediately after the interruption of an applied cathodic current. The total overvoltage (η) for the hydrogen evolution reaction was divided into two components (η1 and η2) corresponding to the Volmer and the Tafel reactions. The exchange current densities of the elementary reactions (iOV and iOT) were then evaluated by extrapolating the Tafel lines for η1 and η2. The values of η1 and η2 at the Mm(B5)0.88 electrode were found to be almost the same as those at the Mm(B5)1.00 electrode. At the Mm(B5)1.12 electrode, however, the values of η2, i0V/i0T and activation energy for the Tafel reaction were very large, compared with those at the other two electrodes, indicating, that the Tafel reaction was fairly depressed at the Mm(B5)1.12 electrode. The Mm(B5)1.12 electrode gave a high-rate chargeability owing to the high overvoltage for the Tafel reaction.

Kinetic aspects of self-discharge of nickel-hydrogen batteries and methods for its prevention

Kinetic aspects of self-discharge of nickel-hydrogen batteries and methods for its prevention

Kinetic aspects of self-discharge of nickel-hydrogen batteries and methods for its prevention

Results of microcalorimetric experiments, in relation to self-discharge in Ni/H2 batteries are reviewed; the mechanism of self-discharge, as well as possible methods for its inhibition, are discussed. These studies indicate that: (i) the self-discharge is due to a direct reaction of hydrogen with the charged active material (nickel oxide); (ii) the presence of metallic nickel sinter particles does not affect the reaction rate; (iii) the reaction rate depends linearly on hydrogen pressure indicating that the reaction is first order with respect to hydrogen; (iv) the reaction rate is higher under starved-electrolyte rather than flooded electrolyte conditions, indicating that the rate is affected by a diffusion process of dissolved hydrogen; and (v) the microcalorimetric heat evolution rate correlates with that of a decrease in electrode capacity due to the self-discharge reaction. The effects of additives to the active material of the nickel electrode were tested as an approach to reduction of the intrinsic rate of self-discharge. An alternate method for minimizing this rate is by storing the hydrogen as a hydride and thereby lowering the cell operating pressure. Some alloys were thus examined for their hydriding/dehydriding characteristics.

Advanced Catalytic Electrode Development for Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries

ABSTRACTLow catalyst loading gas diffusion membrane electrodes have been developed for spaceflight qualified nickel-hydrogen (NiH2) batteries. These electrodes involve the use of new electrode designs and innovative manufacturing methods. Supported catalysts, mixed catalysts and alternative catalyst systems have been developed to decrease catalyst loading levels, and therefore reduce electrode cost, without reducing performance or reliability. This advanced electrode technology has currently accumulated more than 13,000 charge/discharge cycles in real-time, low-earth-orbit (LEO) testing. The technology has been incorporated into several nickel-hydrogen spaceflight programs including the TUBSAT B spacecraft, built by the Technical University of Berlin and launched in January of 1994 aboard a Russian Cyclone rocket.

Hydrogen-based rechargeable battery systems: Military, aerospace, and terrestrial applications—I. Nickel-hydrogen batteries

Abstract Eagle-Picher Industries currently has three hydrogen-based battery systems under development and in production, for a variety of military, aerospace, and terrestrial applications. These are the nickel-hydrogen (NiH 2 ), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), and silver-metal hydride (AgMH) battery systems. Nickel-hydrogen batteries are the system of choice for both geostationery (GEO) and low-earth-orbit (LEO) communications and surveillance satellites. Eagle-Picher NiH 2 batteries have been in use in the aerospace industry for over 15 years and have accumulated more than 95,000,000 cell-hours in orbital spacecraft operation without a single failure. Cells have completed more than 88,000 accelerated LEO charge/discharge cycles and more than 30 eclipse seasons in GEO testing. Advanced NiH 2 batteries are currently being built for the Space Station Freedom program. This advanced aerospace technology is also being adapted to terrestrial applications such as remote location power systems, electric vehicles, utility load leveling, and the telecommunications industry. Two additional papers are planned. Part II of the series will cover aerospace and commercial nickel-metal hydride batteries and part III will concern the newly developed silver-metal hydride battery system.

特集 電池における表面技術 ニッケル‐水素二次電池と表面処理

特集 電池における表面技術 ニッケル‐水素二次電池と表面処理