A breakthrough in low earth orbit (LEO) cycle life of individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel hydrogen battery cells was reported. The cycle life of boiler plate cells containing 26 percent potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte was about 40,000 LEO cycles compared to 3500 cycles for cells containing 31 percent KOH. The effect of KOH concentration on cycle life was studied. The cycle regime was a stressful accelerated LEO, which consisted of a 27.5 min charge followed by a 17.5 min charge (2 x normal rate). The depth of discharge (DOD) was 80 percent. The cell temperature was maintained at 23 C. The next step is to validate these results using flight hardware and a real time LEO test. NASA Lewis has a contract with the Naval Weapons Support Center (NWSC), Crane, Indiana, to validate the boiler plate test results. Six 48 A-hr Hughes recirculation design IPV nickel-hydrogen flight battery cells are being evaluated. Three of the cells contain 26 percent KOH (test cells) and three contain 31 percent KOH (control cells). They are undergoing real time LEO cycle life testing. The cycle regime is a 90-min LEO orbit consisting of a 54-min charge followed by a 36-min discharge. The depth-of-discharge is 80 percent. The cell temperature is maintained at 10 C. The cells were cycled for over 8000 cycles in the continuing test. There were no failures for the cells containing 26 percent KOH. There was two failures, however, for the cells containing 31 percent KOH.
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机译：据报道，单个压力容器（IPV）镍氢电池在低地球轨道（LEO）循环寿命方面取得了突破。含26％氢氧化钾（KOH）电解质的锅炉板电池的循环寿命约为40,000 LEO循环，而含31％KOH的电池的循环寿命为3500个循环。研究了KOH浓度对循环寿命的影响。循环过程是一个紧张的加速LEO，由27.5分钟的充气和随后的17.5分钟的充气（2倍于正常速度）组成。放电深度（DOD）为80％。电池温度保持在23°C。下一步是使用飞行硬件和实时LEO测试验证这些结果。 NASA Lewis与印第安纳州克雷恩的海军武器支持中心（NWSC）签订了合同，以验证锅炉板的测试结果。正在评估六个48 A-hr Hughes循环设计IPV镍氢飞行电池。其中三个单元包含26％的KOH（测试单元），三个单元包含31％的KOH（对照单元）。他们正在接受实时LEO循环寿命测试。循环过程是90分钟的LEO轨道，包括54分钟的充能和36分钟的放电。放电深度为80％。电池温度保持在10℃。在连续测试中将电池循环超过8000次循环。含有26％KOH的电池没有故障。但是，对于含有31％KOH的电池，有两个故障。
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