A study on evaluation of the long term storage effects on aerospace nickel-cadmium cells currently being performed at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is described. A number of cells of 6 Ah and 12 Ah capacities which were stored in shorted condition for 8 to 9 years at the GSFC were selected for this study. These cells will undergo electrical acceptance testing the the GSFC, and life cycling at the NASA Battery Test Facility at the Naval Weapons Facility at the Naval Weapons Support Center (NWSC) in Crane, Indiana; in addition, some cells from the study will undergo destructive analyses

Yi, T. Y.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

QN87-11090
INVESTIGATION OF LONG TERM STORAGE EFFECTS ON
AEROSPACE NICKEL-CADHIUM CELL PERFORMANCE
BY
THOHAS Y. YI
SPACE POWER APPLICATIONS BRANCH
CODE 711
NASAJGODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
GREENBELT, MD 20771
ABSTRACT
A study on evaluation of the long term storage effects on aerospace
nickel-cadmlum cells currently being performed at NASAhGoddard Space Flight
Center (GSFC) is described. A number of cells of 6AH and 12AH capacities
which have been stored in shorted condition for 8 to 9 years at the GSFC
have been selected for this study. These cells will undergo electrical
acceptance testing at the GSFC, and life cycling at the NASA Battery Test
Facility at the Naval Weapons Support Center (NWSC) in Crane, Indiana; In
addition, some cells from the study will undergo destructive analyses.
INTRODUCTION
Investigation of long term storage effects on aerospace nlckel-cadmium cell
performance is an important topic that has received relatively few
interests because of the long time that is required. Although at the GSFC
as well as at other facilities, there are,mar_y spare and test
nlckel-cadmlum cells held in storage, un_ertainties in the cell
capabilities after years of storage have hindered their present usage.
Another dilemma we face at the GSFC is the reliability of the cells at the
time of launch. Cells for a flight project are procured and tested, and
battery made well ahead of the launch date. Inevitably because launch
delays arise, the question of battery capability with age is often asked.
In the few studies done in this area of storage effects on nickel-cadmium
cells [I-3], Thlerfelder et al. recommends the maximum cell age of 3-I/2
years for maximum reliability in a 7-IJ2 year mission [3]. In the above
studies, tests that were performed were either accelerated tests or
electrical characterization tests after certain periods of storage.
Although these techniques may be useful because of the short duration
needed in the cell age study, we find that these are not dependable. It
has been our experience that the best way to gain a high degree of
confidence with the cells is to perform real time testing on them.
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of long term
storage on aerospace nlckel-cadmium cells through electrical acceptance
testing, real time testing, and destructive analyses. The results from the
study will be compared with previous data on these cells, namely from the
initial acceptance data at the GSFC, and from the life cycling data at the
249
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19870001657 2020-03-23T14:58:19+00:00Z
NWSCon the cells from the same lot. The study will use 12 General
Electric (G.E.) 6AH nickel-cadmium cells (G.E. q2BOO6AB55156) and 12 G.E.
12AH nickel-cadmium cells (G.E. q2BOI2AB20121). These cells have been
chosen because of their relative abundance in the Battery Lab at the GSFC,
and also because of availability of the GSFC acceptance data and the NWSC
life cycling data on them. These cells were stored shorted in the Battery
Lab since 1976 and 1977. They were purchased for the InteI'national
Ultraviolet Explorer (I.U.E.) Project, and are presently held as reserve
cells for the mission. Specific information on these cells, the assembled
battery, as well as the performance of the I.U.E. spacecraft is mentioned
elsewhere [4-12].
TEST DESCRIPTION
Twelve cells have been selected from each of the I.U.E. 6AH and 12AH cell
lots at the Battery Lab at the GSFC. Of the 12 cells within the lot, 2
cells will undergo destructive analysis per NASA Document X-711-74-279
[13]. The remaining 10 cells will be fabricated into two 5-cell packs, I
of which will be tested at the GSFCJBattery Lab, and the other at the _4SC.
Upon completion of the tests, 2 cells from each pack will go through
destructive analysis. In all, 12 cells will undergo destructive analysis.
From each lot, one 5-cell pack will be subjected to the cell electrical
characterization test at the GSFC that is similar to the acceptance test
these cells underwent when they were first procured 8 to 9 years ago [14].
Table I shows the outline of the present electrical test. Direct
comparisons between the original acceptance test data and the _resent
characterization data from after storage wil_be made.
The remaining 5-cell packs from each lot will go through an acceptance test
at the _4SC, and then a life test. The 6AH test pack will undergo
geosynchronuus orbit cycling (GEO), whereas the 12AH pack will operate at
low-earth orbit cycling (LEO). The operating parameters for these orbits
are shown in Table 2. These test parameters were deliberately chosen to
operate under similar operating conditions as pack 231A for the 6AH pack
and pack 8G for the 12AH pack at the NWSC [5-13]. These two I.U.E. packs,
231A and 8G, which are from the same lot as the cells being tested for this
study, have been life cycled at the NWSC since 1978.
Prior to the start of life test, 2 preconditioning cycles will be performed
on all cells. The first preconditioning cycle of C]I0 charge for 2q hours
-_ 20 C --_ - C/1.25 discharge "'_= o,,u o ._,, a cutout voltage of 0.75V for each cell
will be followed by a second cycle of C]I0 charge for 24 hours at 10 C and
the same discharge profile as in the first preconditioning discharge.
In the LEO cycling, duration of the test is planned for I year. Capacity
check will be performed on the 12AH pack at the C]1.25 rate to a voltage
limit of 0.75 VJcell on one of the cells at 6 months, and on two of the
cells at 12 months. These cell(s) will be recharged at the CJI.25 rate to
the voltage limit and tapered until 115% recharge is reached. Other cells
will remain open-circuited during the check.
250
Like the LEO pack, the 6AH GEO pack will be cycled for I year. During
every other solstice period, each period lasting 2 weeks, the packs will be
reconditioned. In the first reconditioning cycle, the pack will be
recharged at a float rate of C]60, followed by a discharge at Cdi.5 rate
until any cell reaches 0.75V, and then open-circuited for 5 days.
Thereafter each reconditioning cycle will go through a 3-step charge.
REFERENCES
1. Braham, R. W., et al., Power Sources, 1977, v6, p. 129-159.
2. Hobbs, B. S., et al., J. App1. Electrochem., 8(1978) p. 305-311.
. Thterfelder, H. E., et al., Proc. Intersoc. En 5. Conf., 198q, vl,
p. 319-323.
Tiller, S. E., Battery Fabrication and Acceptance Test Plan for
International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) 6AH Batteries. NASA
X-711-78-5, 1978.
. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Pro6ram for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: Synchronous Orbit Testin s of Sealed Nickel-Cadmium
Cells. Contract S-53742-AG, WQECJC 81-12OA, 1981, p. 114-133.
. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Pro6ram for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: Synchronous Orbit Testing of Sealed Nickel-Cadmlum
Cells. Contract S-53742-AG, WQEC/C 81-120B, 1981, p. 76-'90.
. Naval Weapons Support Center. Eval_atlon Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 16th Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQEC/C 80-3_, 1980. p. 28-32.
. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 17th Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQEC/C 81-1, 1981, p. 28-32.
e Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 18th Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQEC/C 82-23, 1982, p. 29-32.
10. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 19th Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQEC/C 83-1, 1983, P. 29-33.
11. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 20th Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQECJC 84-5, 1984, p. 15-19.
251
12. Naval Weapons Support Center. Evaluation Program for Secondary
Spacecraft Cells: 21st Annual Report of Cycle Life Test. Contract
C-13105-D, WQEC/C 85-52, 1985, p. 36.
13. Halpert, G., and Kunlgahalli, V., Procedure for Analysis of
Nickel-Cadmium Cell Materials. NASA X-711-74-279, Rev. A., 1980.
14. Tiller, S. E., Cell Acceptance Test Plan for Nickel-Cadmium Cells.
NASA X-711-76-143, 1976, p. 17-19.
252
Sequence Test C_m,Jitkm
Numl_.-r Number
I I
2 2
3 3
4 2
5 4
6 5
7 6
8 7
9 8
10 9
II 10
12 II
13 12
14 II
15 12
16 II
17 12
18 I1
19 12
20 II
21 12
22 11
23 12
24 I I
25 12
26 1 I
27 13
28 4
29 5
Table 1. TEST OUTLINE/SCHEDULE
Te_t l_scripti_m Tcmperatum Current('c)
Conditioning Charge
Conditioning Discharge
Resistive Drain
Conditioning Charge
Conditioning Discharge
Resistive Drain/Temperature Stabilization
Capacity Charge
Capacity Discharge
Resistive Drain
Charge Retention m Open Circuit
Resistive Drain/Temperature Stabilizat;on
CaFahcity Charge
Capacity Discharge
Resistive Drain/Temperature Stabilization
Ove_harge Charge
Overcharge Discharge
Resistive Drlin/Temperature Stabilization
Bum-in Charge #1
Bum-in Discharge # I
Bum-in Charge #2
Bum-in Charge #2
Bum-in Charge #3
Bum-in Discharge #3
Burn-in Charge #4
Bum-in Discharge #4
Bum-in Charge #5
Bum-in Discharge #5
Burn-in Charg_ #6
Bum-in Discharge #6
Bum-in Charge #7
Bum-in Discharge #7
Bum-in Charge #8
Burn-in Capacity Discharge
Rcsislivc Drain/Temperature Stabilization
Capacity Charge
Capacily Di_-harge
Resistive Drain
25 (:'/20
25 (:/2
2.5
25 C/IO
25 C-2
20
20 C/IO
20 C/2
20
20
I0
I0 020
I0 02
O
O 020
0 02
10
10 020
I0 CO
I0 O2O
I0 O2
I0 Ct20
I0 02
I0 O20
I0 02
I0 020
I0 (:/2
I0 C/20
I0 C/2
I0 020
I0 C/20
I0 020
I0 02
._1
20 OIO
20 (:/2
20
Voltage Limit._
Upper Limit Lower Limit
IVI IV)
1.51 0.80
1.51 0.80
1.51 0.80
1.51 0.80
1.51 0.80
1.51 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.8O
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.80
1.53 0.1_0
1.51 0.140
1.51 0.80
T¢._I Duration
(huur_)
Spccilicd
41(
24
24
16
24
48
72
23
I
23
I
23
I
23
I
23
I
23
I
23
I
23
I
24
E._timalcd
3
2
m
3
2
3
m
2
3
2
m
3
2
m
m
m
m
m
2
3
2
253
Table 2. OPERATING PARAMETERS OF THE 6AH AND 12AH NICKEL CADMIUM CELL PACKS SCHEDULED
TO BE LIFE CYCLED AT NWSC, CRANE, IN.
Lifecyclingregime
Duration(year)
Temperature_'C)
Depth-of-Discharge(%)
Orbit
Charge
Discharge
6AH Pack
GEO
I
I0
80
25 day Eclipse
C/10
Eclipse
12AH Pack
LEO
I
0
40
90min.
C/1.25
C/1.25
254


Investigation of long term storage effects on aerospace nickel-cadmium cell performance

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