DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH VOLTAGE RECHARGEABLE CELLS FOR AIRCRAFT AND MISSILE APPLICATIONS

THE PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH EFFORT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRACTICAL HIGH VOLTAGE RECHARGEABLE CELL (NA/BETA"ALUMINA/S(IV) IN MOLTEN ALCL(3) + NACL) FOR AIRCRAFT AND MISSILE APPLICATIONS. THE EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUITABLE HERMETIC SEAL AND THE SELECTION OF COMPATIBLE MATERIALS. THIS CELL HAS BEEN STUDIED EXTENSIVELY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SINCE 1976. THE CELL HAS AN OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE OF >4.2 V AND A THEORETICAL ENERGY DENSITY OF 726 WH/KG. ELECTROCHEMICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PRACTICAL CELL WILL BE EVALUATED. THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS WILL BE DETERMINED: CHARGE/DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, GRAVIMETRIC AND VOLUMETRIC ENERGY DENSITY, SPECIFIC POWER DENSITY AND CYCLE LIFE. COMPLETION OF PHASE I PROGRAM SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PRACTICAL CELL NA/BETA"-ALUMINA/S(IV) IN MOLTEN ALCL(3) + NACL IS SUITABLE FOR INTENDED AIR FORCE APPLICATIONS.