As part of a cost-shared contract between the US Department of Energy (Office of Transportation Systems) and Eaton Corp. to develop an advanced dual shaft electric propulsion (DSEP) vehicle, several nickel/iron (Ni/Fe) batteries were designed and procured from Eagle-Picher Industries (EPI) for evaluation and vehicle use. In March 1986, two individual 5-cell Ni/Fe modules and a 140-cell (28-module) battery pack were delivered to Argonne for evaluation. Performance characterization tests were conducted on the two modules and life testing performed on the battery pack. Module performance testing was completed in early 1987 after about 215 cycles of operation. Each module still retained (approximately)90% of its initial 180-Ah capacity at the end of testing ((approximately)163 Ah/970 Wh). Life evaluation of the 168-V, 28-kWh battery pack was conducted with driving profile discharges. A 1377-s power profile that represented the battery load in a DSEP vehicle undergoing a Federal Urban Driving Schedule (FUDS) was used. Testing was temporarily suspended in October 1987 after the battery pack had accumulated 502 cycles (209 cycles in 1986). After a three-month trickle charge ((approximately)3 A), testing was resumed (January 1988) with driving profile discharges. In March 1988, battery performance was being limited by three modules. After 545 cycles, the three modules were removed from the pack. Battery performance, however, continued to decline and another four modules were removed in September 1988 (645 cycles). Several remaining modules started to exhibit a high self-discharge loss and a capacity of only 119 Ah (15.1 kWh) could be achieved. The life evaluation was halted in October 1988 after 661 cycles had been accumulated. This report outlines the test activities and presents the performance results of the individual modules and the battery pack involved in this technology evaluation. 18 figs., 4 tabs.
Performance and life evaluation of nickel/iron battery technology for dual shaft electric propulsion vehicle. Technical report, March 1986-October 1988
1990
44 pages
Report
No indication
English
NTIS | 1988
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