Yardeny to develop battery for Northrop-Grumman

Advanced Battery Technology, Sep 2001

Yardney Technical Products, Inc. of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, has been selected by Northrop-Grumman Air Combat Systems, Palmdale, California, to develop, qualify, and deliver high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, battery management circuits, and battery chargers to meet the demanding requirements of the B-2 Bomber as part of the B-2 Link 16 Avionics Upgrade Program. The company says that use of its prismatic Li-ion cells will result in superior performance while substantially reducing battery weight and size.

A key element in the selection of this technology was the extent of Yardney efforts to develop the high rate and low temperature capabilities of the system. Over the last year, the company has increased the continuous discharge capability of cells from the SC rate (i.e., at an Ampere rate that is five times the Ampere-hour capacity of the cell) to more than the 20C rate. Even then the cells were able to provide more than 63% of the initial capacity at more than 3V. A pulse capability of as high as the 75C rate at voltages above 2V per cell was also demonstrated. These cells can be effectively discharged at temperatures ranging as low as -40 deg C and still provide between 35 to 55% of the available room temperature capacity.

The technology to provide this superior performance was developed as part of the company's efforts under its five-year Li-ion battery development contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory, which is jointly funded by NASA and the U.S. Army CECOM. The goal of the program is to develop cells and smart batteries of high specific energy and long life for aerospace, DOD, and other demanding government applications. Included as part of this effort are batteries of 14V to 270V with cells varying in capacity from lOAh to 20OAh.

Commenting on the high rate capabilities, Vince Yevoli, Yardney vice president of marketing, said, "These new capabilities for our lithium-ion cells means that they can be advantageously employed for space-based power tools, planetary orbiters and rovers, earth satellites, astronaut life support systems, high-powered Army manpack applications, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, torpedo targets, and the like. In fact, it could open the door for such terrestrial commercial applications as electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, portable power tools, and any other application requiring small lightweight batteries capable of high rates, thousands of cycles, and low temperature operation."