High Power Zinc Alkaline Batteries for Military / Aerospace Applications

摘要

With the highest available energy of any known aqueous chemistry, Silver/Zinc batteries have found successful application in numerous devices. Space applications include: launch vehicle guidance and control, telemetry, space shuttle payload launch and power for the life-support equipment used by the astronauts. Silver/Zinc batteries (primary as well as secondary) also find critical applications in military markets, powering over 90% of all military missile systems. The Navy makes use of Silver/Zinc batteries in applications that include: mines, buoys, special test vehicles, swimmer aids, deep submergence and rescue vehicles, exploratory underwater vehicles, torpedo propulsion, drones, submarines, and other military equipment. There are also commercial sector applications for Silver/Zinc in premium electronic equipment that requires a lightweight, high-capacity battery, such as portable medical equipment, portable communications and professional video recorder. Under a NASA development contract, RBC has applied radically new material formulations and methods of electrode fabrication to produce extremely long-life and high energy Silver/Zinc cells. More specifically chemically stable non-cellophane based separator and specially formulated roll-bonded electrodes have been evaluated in Silver/Zinc cells. The results showed that the use of RBC components significantly improved the cycle life of the Silver-Zinc batteries. The cells responded well to continuous discharge as well as continuous discharge with pulses. The cells could be charged at faster rates as compared to the conventional cells. Wet life of at least 12 months has been demonstrated. RBC is also developing sealed spirally wound Silver/Zinc and Silver/Metal-hydride cells for low atmospheric pressure applications.