Research, development, and demonstration of nickel-iron batteries for electric-vehicle propulsion. Annual report for 1981

Technical Report · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5039948· OSTI ID:5039948

The FY '81 program continued to involve full-size, prototype cell, module and battery fabrication and evaluation, aimed at advancing the technical capabilities of the nickel-iron battery, while simultaneously reducing its potential cost in materials and process areas. Improved Electroprecipitation Process (EPP) nickel electrodes of design thickness (2.5 mm) are now being prepared that display stable capacities for the C/3 drain rate with less than 10% capacity decline for greater than 1000 test cycles. Iron electrodes of the composite-type are delivering 24 Ah at the target thickness (1.0 mm). Iron electrodes also are displaying capacity stability for greater than 1000 test cycles in continuing 3-plate cell tests. Finished cells have delivered 57 to 63 Wh/kg at C/3, and have demonstrated cyclic stability up to 1200 cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge profiles. Modules evaluated at the National Battery Test Laboratory (NBTL), Argonne National Laboratory, have exceeded 580 test cycles and remain on test. Reduction in nickel electrode swelling (and concurrent stack starvation), to improve cycling, continues to be an area of major effort to reach the final battery cycle life objectives. Pasted nickel electrodes continue to show promise for meeting the life objectives while, simultaneously, providing a low manufacturing cost. Two full-size pasted nickel electrode cells have exceeded 700 cycles at C/3 rates to 80 to 100 % depth of discharge. Refinements have occurred in the areas of cell hardware, module manifolding and cell interconnections as a result of a related DOE/JPL battery demonstration program. These improvements have been incorporated into the construction and testing of the cells and modules for this ANL/DOE program.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5039948
• Report Number(s): ANL/OEPM-81-14; ON: DE82021216
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250900* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries
DATA
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FABRICATION
INFORMATION
IRON-NICKEL BATTERIES
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
NUMERICAL DATA
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
QUALITY ASSURANCE
TESTING
VEHICLES