Pre-pilot and pilot-plant development of. beta. ''-alumina electrolytes and rutile container current collectors for the sodium-sulfur battery. Phase III. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5270478

Gordon, R S

In this report the Phase III activities at three institutions will be described: (1) The University of Utah, (2) The University of Utah Research Institute (Phase II no cost extension), and (3) Ceramatec, Inc. The work at the University of Utah under the direction of Dr Gerald R. Miller consisted of (1) the pre-pilot production of ..beta..''-alumina tubing, (2) pre-pilot process innovation in the fabrication of ..beta..''-alumina, and (3) the rutile container and current collector development program. The activities of the Research Institute involved Phase II work on the acquisition, construction and installation of pilot plant equipment at the pilot plant located on the Research Park. Finally, the work under the direction of Ceramatec consisted of (1) pilot plant construction and installation, (2) pilot plant process optimization, (3) pilot plant production of ..beta..''-alumina tubing, (4) quality assurance development, and (5) sodium-sodium cell testing. In Phase III approximately 850 ..beta..''-alumina electrolyte tubes (15 and 33 mm OD) have been delivered by the University of Utah and Ceramatec to Ford for evaluation in sodium-sulfur cells. These electrolytes possess axial resistivities at 300/sup 0/C under 5 ohm-cm (radial values under 6 ohm-cm), densities over 3.18 g/cm/sup 3/ and strengths over 160 MN/m/sup 2/ (23 kpsi). The electrolyte tubes also meet stringent dimensional characteristics with respect to straightness, ovality, and wall thickness. A pilot plant has been placed into operation for the eventual production of up to 100 to 150 tubes per day depending on size. Significant progress has been made on the optimization of pilot scale unit operations such as dry ball milling, powder calcination, spray drying and batch sintering.

• Research Organization: Utah State Univ., Logan (USA); Ceramatec, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ET25106
• OSTI ID: 5270478
• Report Number(s): UTEC-MSE-79-003; CER-20-78-10; ON: DE82019462
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTAINERS
DENSITY
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
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TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
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