Advanced Primary Cell Model

NASA scientific exploration missions require battery systems to power equipment and telecommunications critical to mission objectives. NASA’s mission profiles demand the highest achievable specific energy as well as operability under extreme conditions of temperature, vacuum, and radiation. While rechargeable battery technologies continue to advance the state-of-the-art to meet NASA’s needs, existing primary battery cell technologies (e.g. Li-CFx) can presently address NASA missions. However, maximizing the utilization of the stored energy will need improvements in state-of-charge (SoC) and state-of-health (SoH) determination/prediction. Li-CFx cells have attractive characteristics for NASA missions, including very high specific energy, self-heating during discharge, and radiation tolerance. However, discharge rate capability is limited, and the discharge voltage profile is a weakly correlated to SoC. Hybridization of the Li-CFx chemistry with MnO2, has improved discharge rate capability, but SoC determination and prediction remain areas needing improvement, particularly under conditions relevant to NASA missions. An opportunity exists to advance the state-of-the-art in Li-CFx modeling by using thermodynamic computation along with multiple correlating measurements to determine and predict SoC and SoH to maximize NASA mission performance with this cell chemistry over a wide operating window. CRG proposes to develop an Advanced Primary Cell Model based on coupled thermodynamic and transport calculations combined with multiple monitoring inputs as feedback control. The Advanced Primary Cell Model will enable NASA to maximize mission operations by optimally managing primary cell battery systems over the breadth of mission operating conditions.

• Accurate primary cell SoC and lifetime determination/prediction over a wide temperature range • Primary cell SoC/SoH determination from degradation mechanisms

• Military man-portable energy storage management • Aerospace reserve battery management • Medical device battery management

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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