Document JvvKmBvbayVeVXLXK9Gx926YO

:^fitfi' ^,^k&giasgaaaate- : hlilMll LEAD INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION J 410 LEXINGTON AVENUE NEW vomc 17, N. Y. i 1 1 i Ij . W W W . "."<11. -i 4, 9 Kay 26, 1955 StJBJECTi NINTH /JTOOAL BATTgg k-SBAtCH AKD DaVELO?.iBHT COKF&tWCE To Herbers of the Load Industries Associations The Power Sources Branch, Cooponents Division of the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories at Port Uornouth, How Jorsey, annually sponsors a Battery Rosearch and Devclopoent Coaferonco the purpose of which is to acquaint the battery industry with the progress of Signal Corps research and devclofnent prograns in the battery fiold and to encouraga ir.tarchange of information on batteries with the object of prorating uore rapid edvancenent of knowledge in the battery art, Tbo Lead Industries Association, ta it has in the past, was invited to send a delegate to this Conference which was hold on thy 16 and 19, 1955, in Asbury Park, How Jersey, Reports on those papers of specific interest to the lead industry are attached* Very truly yours. UM I j w p ijupi -fd'-SMSW.!'.1 'JIM M.TWWSU. iiifWIM" *|iJ'li i'P** ..y....g..R....J.P...i Bi'RMi * ilT1 M ~n'lift Hi LIA22912 w f vmaauui May KM?# 1955 KIKTH AKNUAL BATTEIT RESEARCH .VK ) DEVELQPHEST COKFStENCE VXLSCR BATTBUB J. H. Colonan, M. J. Cohan and 8* C. Oibeon, Jr, Radiation Reas arch Corporation . ' * ' Purposet To investigate tha utilisation of radioactive energy aa a direct source of electrical energy for use aa a portable battery having at least a 15 year operating life and an operating tenperature of 160F to -65?, History: It was found that good Insulators under continuous beta radiation first decrease In resistance, reach a -.ininun, and then Increase In value* A battery was constructed end demonstrated after a satisfactory accelerated Ufa test on one Insulator. Experimental Wortri Investigations on this projoct were continued along two lines: (1) neasuraoont of conductivity lnducod in electrical insulators by beta radiation fer general application in nuclear batteries and (2) fabrication of sell! trltiun-zlrconluc sourcos for tritlun batteries flag either a vacuun or solid dielectric* (1) In the insulation tests, induced conductivity was measured as a function of three variables j rate of beta radiation, total dose of beta radiation, and total irradiation tine. Empirical equations were derived to relate the conductivity to these vcrlables. Close agreement was found between theso equations and those used in photoconluctor theory. Also, F. T. Farner In England found similar equations for insulator* under gersaa and x-radiation. 9 Three types of batteries were designod using solid insulation. One type was fabricated using polystyrene Insulation anl a 10 nillicurie strontlun ?0 beta source* This type of battery, which had an output current of 50 nicronicrcaoperes at aero voltage, was found to develop over 20,000 volts with only a 1 cubic inch volume ineluding the shielding which reduces tho external radiation field to less than 10 nr/hr. A second type of battery was designed for higher currents with strontlun 90 sourcos* Mica was selected as tho insulator since life test data indicated a sig nificantly higher dose of radiation could be rocolved ty nica before degradation conparod to polystyrene. The third typo, shich is still in tho research stage, use* a thin dielectric filn with a tritlun source* (2) Several tritlun beta sourcos were fabricated and tested in both s sled-off and demountable vacuun batteries. Soalod off oodols of tritlun batteries utilised the beta emission fhon solid tritiatod-zlrconiun sourcos, carbon collector* and vacuun Insulation. The initial models of these batteries are bolng designed to yield 10"? or.poros at potentials to 1000 volts in a volume of 2 cubic inches* Im proved construction tochniquos tuy reduco tho volume to nearer 1 cubic inch* Denountable tritlun batteries havo yioldod potentials of scvoral thousand volt* at current efficiencies of .75 nicroaicronnpurea per nillicurie with e porous carbon collector* Other proclaim; naterlal* for collectors include borylliun and boron* I .i,i.w*i.|wiirwiriiJ4y..uje|*eii;e)iii Ii,wnwra*e*uwwi*n-iw)ji 1 L'*-'> N 2014.01 gV ^,J--- pWlj-lipiF LIA22913 P r *- ~ XSPSS.J-.-- ---td.jT~.Lit ^... )Ujr 13-19, 1955 -2- NINTH ANNUAL BATTStT RESEARCH ARP DEVELOHmC CO^BimCE To de tomine life characteristics, studios of heliun evolution from tho tritiated-tlrconlun duo to tritiun decay woro nade as wall as tho effect of gas upon tritiun battory pcrfom&nco. Tho life of the battery eppoars to bo in excess of 50 years based upon an extrapolation of our results to dato. Also, tritiun vapor pressure Deasuronants fron trltiatod-sirconiun to tonperatures of t00C denonstrate tho thernal stability of the filn. Future Florist (1) Continue fundanental studies on the lnduood conductivity effoct in solid dielectrics for application lnj (a) strontlun batteries with higher currents and Increased reliability, and (b) tritiun batteries with caseous or solid bota sources (thin filn,), (2) For application in vacuun tritiun battorios, fundanental studies will bo contlnuod on; (s) holiun and tritiun evolution fron solid trltated sources) (b) nethods of improving tho efficiency of the tritiun sourco and collector for rrlnlnna voluno (loss than & cubic inch for 1000 nicronicroanpores). Tritiun battery requires no shielding for external radiation. Tritiun edits no ganna rsys. i KUCLEAK BATTCtTES L f h ; t Alexander Thooas Tracerlab, Inc. Purporct Utilizing the principle of radio-ionixation of a gas between disslnilar netaillc electrodos, to develop a 60 volt and a 300 volt conpact battery delivering up to 10"9 onperes and having a useful life of IS years over s temperaturo range froo -^SF to 16SF. ffistoryt Combinations of electrode couples and Insulators hsd been bade into battery nodels, Tho result showed general agreement with theory and showed prods* that all the technical requirenents could be not with ultinsta success. <r Experinental Workt Mow test nodols cado with different plastic Insulators showed narkod difj sroncos in characteristics with tino, due to radiation condition ing and radiation degradation. Is the current capacity was increased by increasing the aaount of tritiun per cell, tho voltago was depressed because of radiation in duced conductivity in tho insulation. Thors was also a high tenporaturo coefficient, which soor.od contrary to the known theoretical considerations. Further ncdifications in tho electrode couples and insulators have boon node in order to inprove the cur rent-voltage characteristics and to roduco the effect of tenperaturw. Future Floras If tho present exporinental progran is successful, Dodels of ths 300 volt bsttoiy will be nado and tested. Development of production techniques for ports, ossoOUy, and capsulation of other designs filling spoclfic requirenents will then ba undortekje. To operate ordinary flashlight - tho tritiun roqulrod would cost (200, edition dollars. Takes several weeks to build up onough chargo to firs flash bulb.1 w m iu * w *"r p iij t i p ii 1 ULW|imHIB.Ij.H|L) mpsm'IWimj'UUI !HIU'JW - . T` V: I SJW.I i1^1lliijll!J|lii.g>,B,W--.L| >11 - IJ1 J ,Uj^gpg|_^ Ua 229i^ Hay 18-19, 1955 . "J KIKTH AKNU'X RMTBtT KESEIRCH AK3 DHVaoni^ff CO)<TE.lt-~NCS ATOMIC BATTBUZS / ty P. B. Ohaart, H. L. Cook, R. Kerkhoff, V, X lyons Ohnart Corporation This papor describes investigations and research on atonic battorles vtiieh bm beon conducted during the last four years, with the result that a timber of batteries have boon dcvoloped* One battery which has boen developed as a source of constant current mad oonetent voltage, spoclficclly for Air force applications, is 1-1/0 Inches in disaster and 3 inches long* It gonorates currents of 5 x 10*5 anperos with an open circuit voltage in excess of ono volt whon excited by 10 cilllcurlos of strontlun-90* Ueesurononts have shown tho output of those battories to bo constant over loci: periods of tlno. Thay havo low tenperature coefficients, will oporato over vide ran.es of tenporaturo, aro extrcxly ruggod, sad. will withstand severe nistreatment without dana-e* Another battory that has boon dovelopod, is a railtl-coaxial unit 1-1/2 inches in dienetor and 2-incbea in length* Thia battery has a center wo11 in vhich the source is nountod. It has .jroatur officlonty than tho abovo battory* Hie third unit has boon dovalopod for uso with Ohnart Boslty Oauros and is s variahlo current battory. Thoso aro usod as compensating cells to furnish constant currents for nulifyirr: purposes. In thoso batteries a source is oountod on tho ond of a nicroootor sere-/ so that tho -oonotry of tha source end coll can bo cbary.oi, thus altorin" tho output curront. Radlooloctricity . generates trivial anount of electricity, irccra, C'JHnat Or. 0* A. Rnucstark and R. K. Scirar Sonotono Corporation Tha work dono In tho past yoar on this dovolopnont contract has boon diroctod toward throo objectives* a study of charjo retention ovar a rorvgo of storage tonporaturej inirovoncnt of high rato dischargo pcrfomancoj and dovolopnont of a ro set v a typo, "dry chorgod* battory. Tho approach taken in tha charge rctontion phase was to study this proparty using throv-piato colls storod in a substantially oxygon-free ataospharo* Tho bo- havior of both platos was studied ty eoloctlag plats capacities so that in aooe Colls the "Uniting* oloctrodo wss the positive end in others, tho nogctlvo. It was found t)^t tho rato of loss of charga is nuch groatur Tor tha nc.ctivo than it is for tha positive oloctroda, Tha data lndicato that the latter will retain JOjC of chargo for twjlvo nonths at i6&r. nino Dontha at G0F., four wooks at 125F and four days st ^ iiuuini mW"  ' *4, LIA22915 al* --;- Uajr 16-19, 195? * l- n in t h annc al bat t er ? r esear c h ANO DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE The high rota porfornanco prdgroa has boos `devoted principally to preparation of tho colls for tha tost program doscribod in last yoar's paper, ft-ocmitiona her* boon takon to ollxlnate, os noarly os posslblo, tho oxtrunoous offocts of "unknown* variables in sintering and processing tho plates and assanbly of coll*. Satisfactory porfornanco has boon obtained fron "diy-chargod" colls. However, unloss storod in a dry, o^rgon-froo atoosphoro, tho rate of loss of charge Is very similar to that of non-rosarvo typo colls. Oood low temperature performance is also given by thoso colls. In addition to work done on this contract, sooo other interesting obsarvations and data sro prosontod concorning the porfornanco of colls and tho individual eleotrodos after several yoara storage and after extended acoolaratod cycling. KicKHX-anauu 4i tar Arthur floiscbor Nickel Cadniua Battery Corporation Purpesos Research investigations have been axtendod to indudo tho positive sintered plates and separators after tho conplotion of tho study of nogativo plate charac teristics. Tha program is ainod at an inprovooont of porfomanco over a wido rango of temperature and discharge rates. Experimental Vorki Tho studios on nogativo plates lod to tho discovery of the "oxtendor* or "ex pander" properties of alkaline electrolyte-soluble cellulose derivatives. The effoct of tho addition of such compounds on tho cycling characteristics of nogative clntored plates will bo roviorod. Tha absence of a sicilor offoct in structurally analogous compounds has also boon dotemined. ' It has also boon found that high charging rates tond to ollnincto tha advorse offoct of cycling on tho nogativo piato capacity. An incroaso of charging current density fron 0.03 enpero per square inch to 0.1U anporo per aquoro inch with tho aace total input is sufficlont to accomplish this fovorablo effect. It hoa also boon found that the incroaso in tha open circuit stand of a dis charged nogativo plito froc throe hours to ono week prevents loss of capacity on cycling, even at tho low charging rato. This fact appoers to bo In contradiction to tha oxpoctod behavior and is net in conftrnlty to probable rocrystallisation pro cesses in tho actlvo natorial. i Studios on separators for alkaline battarios haro boon undertaken with a viow to find porous aoparatora having the least offoct on tho discharge voltage curvo, ospucinlly at high rotos. Those results will bo supplemented by shrinkego and life dotomlnations, as wall as by determinations of cloctricsl resistivity In tho hopo of oorrolatiag coll bohavior with testing Dothods. wygWWd>i".'iw"*" - i.j -Jw.wvjs.iawwwitqwciwffap BMli-'-i1 -r5is ngypt*niffwriirggTprr11; n >- '**- Ji%HM.,Lff4.J)fJi>^ ^ysw~-------------L1A22916 J* ' aCrti .ftiffiy I Kay 15-19, 1955 ',3 -5. KIMTH ANTTCAL R1TTP1T RESEARCH AIID DfcVELOrfgHT COI.TENCS Studios on positive plates have boon initiated vith rogard to tho effoct of various proparotivo conditions, Tbo principal difficulty has boen in tho absonoe ^ of correlation of results at low tenporaturos with the known porfornanoo of large batteries fron 70 to 150 A.K. in capacity. It is probahlo that the threo-plato tost coll will have to bo changod to cells having closor similarity in plato nu> ) bers and rolativo volume to actual battery calls* i futuret Tosts on separators and positive platos will bo contimod with onphasis so tbs offoct of addod impurities and modification of tho positlvo active caterial. Addi-- tional testa will bo dovisel to ettenpt to doflno charge acceptance, particularly at low temperatures. .1 uxxiL-anmnt * '! *ar .: E. Villihngan* Oould-Kationel Batterios, Inc. j Hornotlcally sealod nickel cadniun battcrioa are now being Bade fn tho Ordtod States. This sealed construction Is such an operating convonionco that the entire field of bettory applications can bo reviewed to learn where tho now battery has possibilities. Such a review sust be based on the characteristics of tho nickel eadrdun soaled ooll. a I At presont only "D* siio and *F* alto flashlight battorlos are being nado. Designs aro available for a series of snail or sizos, and whoro capacities of 0.01 to h.O enporo hours aro required, batteries can bo provided. Tho battorlos wore assigned for sorvico at tho fiva hour rate. At higher rates thoro is aona falling off of capacity, but evon at tho 30 ninuto rato, they still dallror 50? of their ratod capacity. Rharo highor rates aro danandod. It appears possible to dosign tho battery to produco thon, althou^i up to tho present such bat teries aro not available. Tha battorlos nalntaln their capacity and voltage at low tooporaturos, so that whoro suh-zoro conditions aro oncountorad, thaso soaled battorlos nay perforn satis factorily whoro primary battorlos nay not bo able to supply tho roqulrod currant- J Tho battorlos hovo good sholf lifo. Thoro is eono loss of capacity during tbs first few woeks of storogo, but tho subsoquont solf-dischargo is slow, and it looks as though thoro will bo 5C< of tho rated capacity rooalning after ono year. Tho battery can bo stock-piled. Battorlos can bo put in storage far several years, and whon a situation eppoars to warrant, the battorlos can bo chargod. If tho onorgoncy does not develop, tho batterios can bo rotumod to stock to await the next tioo, or if a continuing alert is nocossary, tho battorloe can bo kopt on a float charge for several years. Tho battorlos can act as voltago regulators. Khon tho battery is put on chargo Oat aonowhoro near tho ratod currant, tho cells dovolop a counter Ziff which is only slightly affected by tho charge rate or tho tonporaturo. Spocial calls aro p/V without activo material for use as voltago regulators. Assonblios of thoso nnVls con, therofore, bo built up to glvo a stabillzod voltago at ary desired lovol, and various coll sizes can bo usod doponding on tho rango of currant to bo supplied at 1 tho controlled voltage. re; "-xxv> iszsn i j ii.i ip.j!iiJ,mziuw-t'wwa--W.J!Ji!4'. . iv--r H> i m i lum ni nmn. iib m ii^ iw miw w j w .. h MWE')i"Pi'iw n J-iu "i 1 i "u m im m r Vr "' *'" v"'1" "? ' t LIA22917 VigilM! ''nHtttiwSBjShiHf'ili' i^iHrflii'ftriiwMrttTf jrtil'tn III May 18-1?, l?S$ -6- KIKTH ANNUAL BATTEtT HESE^CH hn d e v e l o p me n t coKratENtiB " ZHC-SILTEB OIHU *T J. S. Dono Th Eaglo-Pichar Coppery Purposor To conduct investigations relating to tho dcvolopnont of high rite rosorvs and non-rosorve batteries utilizing tho zinc-ailvor oxldo system. These investigations also onconpassod dovoloprunt of reootoly controllod activating devices* . ' ``.V- Expcrlnontali The shelf life at 125F has boon increased to approxinatoly twice that pre viously reported. This has boon brought about tgr increasing tho specific graYity of the oloctrolyto, tho uso of ryloc in conjunction with Visldng and Viakon and the uso of soldorless tornlnals* Tho uso of onino ion-oxchango films, In conjunction with Yiakir^, has proven satisfactory in cyclod colls up to thirty cycles. The nothods of activating both "A* and *3* battorios havo boon inprovod ty use of vacuun techniques* Two advantages aro imodiatoly apparenti Tho "3* batteries con now bo constructed without manifolds, thereby incrassing shelf life of ru>Tiiw "B" batteries end all colls of the larger GA* cell coaplononts nay be fillod slnultonoously* A worlcnblo ncthod for activating both "A* and "B* battorios ty rcoote control has boon developed. Such battorios havo boon activetod under load in ono sooond ' or less* Fature Plansr Future work will continue along proaont lines with emphasis boir^ ploeod ca further ioprovanent in sholf life of activatod battorios) continuation of the cyc ling progracj and additional dovolopnont and design of remotely controllod activa ting dovicoa for dlvorsiflod roquirononts, Work on activating devices will be diroctoi toward a final design which will be readily adaptable to all units of tho standard linos of "A* and *B* battorios* z in c -s il v e r onus Paul L. Howard Tardnay Eloctrie Corporation Although tho Silvor-Oxids - Zinc systim has boon known for nary yoars, tho first successful Silvor-Oxldo - Zinc tocondary battery was dovolopod by Mr* Hsnrl Andre. Since World War n Tardnoy Eloctrie Corporation has dovolopod this systen into tho present succostful product* * M*LUiiLPO.H!Jwmsui..(ww..iiulwsity n.Tnimiip.jLiuni 'uni. *e-,|F u .ujpHlMl.TWpp !jMM, gMBWPWg WW-lO-iM- UlWiMP W J|E4*L ' 'O'"- - LI A2 2918 v *W fifislii tffifoirrfri'ii ih^fca4atoi '>ij* iiin | j| ,fW*w|J*i IM ,WI Her 1W9, 1955 -7- NINTH Mm'S. BATTBiT RESEARCH An d DEVELonghT CJKFfiiENCE Over this period, rochnrgoable colls have boon improved froa & few erclos tilth sevaral weeks llfo up to colls with over 300 cycloa during * period of 26 months and still operating at reduced officloncy. Colls Kith capacltlos ranging from .1 A.H. to 100 A.H. ora standard production items in try of thros typos os follows! 1. Ht cells built for high rsto discharge for 10-15 cycles over a six - due nonth parlod* 2* ffi-V colls built for nedlun and aodoratoly high rate discharges far 3O*b0 cycles arrar a nine - twelve nonth period. .r!i; 3. lil colls for nodiun and low rsto discharges for 100 - 300 cycloa over a year's period. Gonoral performance charactoristies aro givon and oothods of Dare efficient use of the battery at low temperatures down to -65F will be givon. Charged sholf conditions and length of stand are given, tilth proper storage conditions batteries have a charged shelf of over one yoar with OCCC capacity maintenance. The resoerch end development progran Is continuously aarrivd on by ferdnty Laboratories under direct company funds to further Improve tho uo <Lnd porfomcaoe of the ayeten. This has brought about improved wot chclf life * 1 it is hoped will nako still greater laprcvanonts. 0 TEST JBTKJD tor Dr. Sark JCordoseh Signal Corps Engineering Laboratorios The datamination of tho stage of chargo of dkollno storage battorios has gained in importance in rocont yoors boesuso of tho increasing use of such br.ttories. To ovorcooo the uncortaintios of the ordinary tost methods which failed because of tho ortronely flat discharge cbaracteriatic of those battarloa, a new nothod was dovolopod sovoral years ago which eliminated tha errors duo to the resistance lossos in the internal end external circuits. At this confcronco, last yoar, tho basic tost oquipaonts end preliminary results wero disclosed. This yoor, further inproveaonts and sons practical applications will bo dlscussod, including the possibility to ex tend the basic nothod to other typos of galvanic elements. Tho ruin prindplo of tho test procoduro is to cpply a pulsating cborgo or dis charge load to tho battery and measure tho voltaic during tho no currant periods bet ween tho load pulses, thus obtaining a potential froo of tho voltago drop crontod ly tho curront across tho internal rosistonco. Tho polarisation of tho battery is equal to tho effective current flow. Additional prlnciplos are to noasuro tho voltago undor load at different tine Intervals to eliminate the uncertainty of tho starting point of tho tost, or to aptply two difforont current loads and dotumino tho corresponding voltago difforonces, thus compensating for diffuroncos in curront donsitlos within individual betteriot. A difforont nothod is used on high currsnt-rcto battorios whoro s pulsating load is impractical from tho standpoint of equipment design. Tho battery is put oc a heavy constant resistor load and at tho sano timo, tho intornal resistance is measured, making It foaslblo to find tho actual E. 11 F. usinc a simple graph. UAHf j^ggpwwp^l1 Pij.) A .I.'SUMC .umi 'I'm*-1 v 1 'i'. < f " ^ ,"***< W *1 " ! ! ' J " w 1 * * i(> w | " ^ w ^ ^ p c  ,V - ''* - WBW UP* I T A 5 70 i /-. Uajf 10-19, 1955 -0- KINTH ANHU.M. attTBtt itSSEAnCH an d d ev el o pmen t coraiscii Basod on thoso principle*, oquipxmta woro constructed to fulfill special tost roquirononta with tho nininuc of ncco3s.*U7 parts, decroasinc woi^t and sis* of tbo taster*. Four typos of such test circuits will bo doscrlbod and circuit footuro* will bo shown. J Up to tho prosont tlno, tho tost nothods hero boon appllod to Ki-Cd, AjO-ln, Load-acid end HnOj-colls. Test rosult* will bo shown and the roooaaonded future prosron will bo outlined. ^1 <i".w'j ipp ip w a p w fA mm memmrnm ISWOWJ.^.W" w i.i^r miPiiw; " L-'UII11 r |M-lwa,"'rjw"' mt' a