Application of a sodium sulfur cell with dynamic sulfur electrode to a battery system

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2069153· OSTI ID:5332917

Tokoi, H; Takahashi, K; Shimoyashiki, S ^[1]

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1. Hitachi, Ltd., Energy Research Lab., 1168 Moriyama-cho, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316 (JP)

In this paper the construction and performance of a sodium sulfur battery system with dynamic sulfur electrodes are described. Three cells were first connected in parallel, then two such groups were connected in series. Each cell included a liquid sodium filled {beta}{double prime}-alumina tube and a system to feed liquid sulfur into the annular cathode. Low resistance graphite felt was tightly packed around the {beta}{double prime}-alumina tube. Sodium pentasulfide was removed from the sulfur electrode. The battery was operated automatically and stably changed and discharged in the two-phase region. The discharged energy was 4372 Wh (capacity 1170 Ah) during a continuous operation of 19.5 h. The discharge/charge energy efficiency of the battery was 82% at an averaged current density of 100 mA/cm{sup 2} and operating temperature of 350{degrees}C. The deviation of the cell current in a parallel chain was less than 7%, and this was induced by the difference in internal resistance. In the daily charge/discharge cycle, cell capacity with the dynamic sulfur electrode was 1.5 times higher than that with the static sulfur electrode using the same active surface of {beta}{double prime}-alumina, because the internal resistance of the former cell was constant regardless of cell capacity. This battery system with a dynamic sulfur electrode can be applied to energy storage systems, such as large scale load leveling systems, electric vehicle batteries, and solar energy systems.

• OSTI ID: 5332917
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States), Vol. 139:1; ISSN 0013-4651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
MATERIALS TESTING
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
FABRICATION
PERFORMANCE
SULFUR
CAPACITY
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
METAL-NONMETAL BATTERIES
NONMETALS
TESTING
250901* - Energy Storage- Batteries- Design & Development
250903 - Energy Storage- Batteries- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
250902 - Energy Storage- Batteries- Performance & Testing
400400 - Electrochemistry