Title :
Air Force nickel-cadmium cell qualification program
Author :
Dalton, P.J. ; Hall, S.W. ; Hwang, W.C. ; Malachesky, P.A.
Author_Institution :
US Naval Weapons Support Center, Crane, IN, USA
Abstract :
A new program has been established by the US Air Force to qualify aerospace flight quality nickel-cadmium cells from available manufacturers. The first cells received were from SAFT/France. SAFT/France VOS-A (24 Ah, 40 Ah) and VOS-B (20 Ah) cells have successfully completed acceptance, electrical characterization and special characterization cycle testing (550 cycles). A mechanical problem was observed with the SAFT/France VOS-A 40 Ah external cell terminals. Vibration testing has been performed on the SAFT/France VOS-A and the VOS-B cells. The 24 Ah cells passed the high level vibration. Four 40 Ah cells passed high level vibration. Two 20 Ah cells passed high level vibration. The SAFT/France VOS-A 40 and 24 Ah cells are currently in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous orbit (GEO) cycling. To date, there have been no failures. No performance anomalies have been observed. LEO and GEO life cycling have continued on the remaining cells in the first test program, the separator qualification program
Keywords :
cadmium; nickel; secondary cells; space vehicle power plants; testing; Ni-Cd cells; SAFT/France; US Air Force; VOS-A; VOS-B; aerospace flight quality nickel-cadmium cells; cell qualification program; characterization cycle testing; electrical characterization; external cell terminals; geosynchronous orbit; life cycling; low Earth orbit; vibration testing; Aerospace materials; Aerospace testing; Cadmium; Cranes; Life testing; Low earth orbit satellites; Manufacturing; Particle separators; Qualifications; Weapons;
Conference_Titel :
Power Sources Symposium, 1990., Proceedings of the 34th International
Conference_Location :
Cherry Hill, NJ
Print_ISBN :
0-87942-604-7
DOI :
10.1109/IPSS.1990.145848
