Basic statistical analyses of candidate nickel-hydrogen cells for the Space Station Freedom

Technical Report · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6197919

Maloney, T M; Frate, D T

Nickel-Hydrogen (Ni/H2) secondary batteries will be implemented as a power source for the Space Station Freedom as well as for other NASA missions. Consequently, characterization tests of Ni/H2 cells from Eagle-Picher, Whittaker-Yardney, and Hughes were completed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Watt-hour efficiencies of each Ni/H2 cell were measured for regulated charge and discharge cycles as a function of temperature, charge rate, discharge rate, and state of charge. Temperatures ranged from -5 C to 30 C, charge rates ranged from C/10 to 1C, discharge rates ranged from C/10 to 2C, and states of charge ranged from 20 percent to 100 percent. Results from regression analyses and analyses of mean watt-hour efficiencies demonstrated that overall performance was best at temperatures between 10 C and 20 C while the discharge rate correlated most strongly with watt-hour efficiency. In general, the cell with back-to-back electrode arrangement, single stack, 26 percent KOH, and serrated zircar separator and the cell with a recirculating electrode arrangement, unit stack, 31 percent KOH, zircar separators performed best.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (United States). Lewis Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6197919
• Report Number(s): N-93-27124; NASA-TM--106111; E--7762; NAS--1.15:106111
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250902* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Performance & Testing
BATTERY CHARGING
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
MATHEMATICS
METAL-GAS BATTERIES
NICKEL-HYDROGEN BATTERIES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POWER SUPPLIES
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
STATISTICS
TESTING