Exploratory Battery Technology Development and Testing Report for 1987
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SANDIA REPORT SAND88-2154 • UC-94cb Unlimited Release Printed August 1988 Exploratory Battery Technology Development and Testing Report for 1987 Nicholas J. Magnani, Ronald B. Diegle, Jeffrey W. Braithwaite, Donald M. Bush, Paul C. Butler, James M. Freese, Kenneth R. Grothaus, Kevin D. Murphy Prepared by Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 and Livermore, California 94550 for the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE·AC04-76DP00789 When printing a copy of any digitized SAND Report, you are required to update the SF2900Q(S-81 ) markings to current standards. Issued by Sandia National Laboratories, operated for the United States Department of Energy by Sandia Corporation. NOTICE: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Govern ment nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, any agel)cy thereof or any of their contractors or subcontractors. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, any agency thereof or any of their contractors or subcontr(lctors. Printed in the United States of America Available from National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 NTIS price codes Printed copy: A09 Microfiche copy: A01 SAND88-2154 Distribution Unlimited Release Category UC - 94cb Printed August 1988 • Exploratory Battery Technology Development and Testing Report for 1987 Nicholas J. Magnani Power Sources Department Ronald B. Diegle, Jeffrey W. Braithwaite, Donald M. Bush, Paul C. Butler, James M. Freese, Kenneth R. Grothaus, and Kevin D. Murphy Storage Batteries Division ! Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, NM 87185 Prepared by Dan W. Scott Tech Reps, Inc. Abstract Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, has been designated as Lead Center for the Exploratory Battery Technology Development and Testing Project, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Storage and Distribution. In this capacity, Sandia is responsible for the engineering development of advanced rechargeable batteries for both mobile and stationary energy storage applications. This report details the technical achievements realized in pursuit of the Lead Center's goals during calendar year 1987. ~ . 3-4 Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. II Chapter I. Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 13 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 13 Sodium/Sulfur Technology ......................................................................................... ... .......... .... 14 Zinc/Bromine Technology ........................................................................................................... 17 Nickel/Hydrogen Technology ............................................................................................. ........ 19 Aluminum/Air Technology ................................................................................................ .......... 19 2. Aqueous Battery Development ............................................................................................... ..... 21 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 21 Zinc/Bromine Battery Development - ERC .............................................................................. 21 Development of a Zinc/Bromine Load Management Battery - ICI ........................................ 38 Nickel/Hydrogen Battery Development - ICI .................................................................. ......... 41 Aluminum/ Air Battery Development - Eltech .......................................................................... 46 3. Nonaqueous Battery Development ............................................................................................... 51 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 51 Sodium/Sulfur Battery Development - CSPL ............................................................................ 51 Sodium/Sulfur Battery Development - SAIC ............................................................. ............... 70 Development of Beta"-Alumina Ceramic Electrolyte - Ceramatec ........................................... 79 Posttest Analysis of CSPL Sodium/Sulfur Cells - ANL .................................................... ....... 83 4. Battery Technology Evaluation ................................................................................................... 91 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 91 Testing and Analysis at ANL ............................................................................................... ...... 92 Testing of Flowing-Electrolyte Batteries at SNL ...................................................................... 101 Sodium/Sulfur Testing at SNL ..................................................................................... ..... ..... ..... 113 Nickel/Hydrogen Testing at SNL ............................................................................................... 123 Systems Evaluation at SNL ......................................................................................................... 134 5. Battery Technology Improvement ............................................................................................... 139 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ ...... 139 Advanced Membrane Development for Zinc/Bromine Batteries ............................................. 139 Failure Analysis of the Beta"-Alumina Electrolyte ................................................................... 148 Component Stress During Freeze/Thaw Cycling of Sodium/Sulfur Cells ............................... 157 Improved Chromium Plating of Sodium/Sulfur Cell Containers ............................ .......... ....... 169 APPENDIX - Publications and Presentations, 1987 .............................................................................. 175 Figures I-I 1987 ETD Project Organization .................................................................................................. 14 2-1 Bromine Electrode Polarization (Baseline Felt Versus Catalyzed Felt) .................................... 27 2-2 Comparison of Zinc/Bromine Flow System Designs ................................................................. 31 2-3 Zinc/Bromine Flow Frame Designs ............................................................................................ 34 2-4 Cycle Performance of Five-Cell Stack SNL-S-2 ...................................................................... 37 , . 5 2-5 Cycle Performance of Five-Cell Stack SNL-5-3 ..................................................................... 37 2-6 Cycle Performance of Five-Cell Stack SNL-5-4 ..................................................................... 37 2-7 Cycle Performance of 30-Cell Stack SNL-30-2 ...................................................................... .. 37 2-8 Cycle Efficiencies of the JCI Zinc/Bromine Load Management Battery ............................... 40 2-9 Terrestrial 7-kWh Nickel/Hydrogen Battery ............................................................................ 44 2-10 A 12-V 150-Ah Nickel/Hydrogen Battery Module ................................................................. 44 2-11 A Single 150-Ah Nickel/Hydrogen Cell ................................................................................... 45 2-12 Relative Costs of a IS-kWh Terrestrial Nickel/Hydrogen Battery ........................................ .. 45 2-13 Alkaline Aluminum/Air Battery System .................................................................................. .. 47 2-14 Components of the B-300 Battery ............................................................................................ .. 48 3-1 Cumulative Production of PB Cells ........................................................................................... 56 3-2 Automatic Sodium-Filling Machine ......................................................................................... .. 63 3-3 Reliability Improvement of PB Cells (1984 to 1987) .............................................................. .. 64 3-4 Freeze/Thaw of Long-Lived PB Cells ....................................................................................