SODIUM-SULFUR TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY

The Analysis and Diagnostics Laboratory (ADL) at Argonne National Laboratory has completed evalation of the Ford Aerospace and Commnication Corp. (FACC) technology in the form of four load-levelling (LL) cells, five electric vehicle (EV) cells, and a sub-battery of 89 series connected EV cells. The ADL also has initiated evalation of the Chloride Silent Power Limited (CSPL) sodium-sulfur (PB) battery technology in the form of 8 individual cells. The evaluation of the FACC-LL cells consisted of an abbreviated performance characterization followed by life-cycle tests on two individual cells and life-cycle tests only on the two other individual cells. The evaluation indicated that the technology was improving, but long-term (life) reliability was not yet adequate for utility applications. The cells exhibited individual cycle lives ranging from 659 to over 1366 cycles, which is equivalent to 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 years in utlity use. It was also found that full-cell capacity could only be maintained by applying a special charge regime, regularly or periodically, that consisted of a constant-current followed by a constant-voltage.

• Corporate Authors:

  Argonne National Laboratory

  9700 South Cass Avenue
  Argonne, IL  United States  60439
• Authors:
  • Mulcahey, T P
  • Tummillo, A F
  • Hogrefe, R L
  • Christianson, C C
  • Biwer, R
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Pagination: 4 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Development; Electric vehicles; Fuel cells; Life cycle analysis; Research; Sodium sulfur batteries; Technology assessment
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Research; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00477018
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CONF-871121-2
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1988 12:00AM