The Clementine spacecraft was launched in January 1994 to demonstrate I I I I advanced lightweight technologies for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO). One of the key technologies was the first use of a multi-cell nickel hydrogen (NiH2) cornmon pressure vessel (CPV) battery. The 5.0 inch diameter, 22 cell, 15.0 ampere-hour NiH2 CPV battery was manufactured by Johnson Controls Battery Group Inc., (JCBGI). Battery test and integration was performed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The battery was mounted to the spacecraft using a unique, lightweight graphite epoxy structure. An integral mounted pressure transducer provided battery pressure data for a pressure based charge control method. I Along with the structure and the charge control method, this paper will discuss the battery design trade study, pre-launch I battery data and on-orbit performance data.

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Johnson Controls Battery Group, Inc. (JCBGI), working wlth Sandla National Laboratories (SNL), has developed a Common Pressure Vessel (CPV) Nickel Hydrogen battery for terrestrial applications. A 7-kWh boilerplate battery and four 2-kWh batteries are currently being tested for a variety of photovoltaic applications. CPV TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUNDThe lndlvldual pressure vessel (IPV) NickeVHydrogen battery Is well established as a rechargeable energy storage subsystem for commercial communication satellites. The characteristics of the system which make It particularly attractive for aerospace applications are high reliability, no maintenance, and extremely long life. However, the high cost of these aerospace batteries, well over $25,00O/kWh, has Impeded Its use In terrestrial applications.JCBGI, working wlth SNL and the Department of Energy has developed a lower cost version of the Nlckel/Hydrogen battery [I ,2,3]. Technological advancements which provide a mass production cost of only $675/kWh have been demonstrated. Although this initial cost is stili high In comparison to other battery systems, such as lead-acid, the long life and low maintenance of the Nlckel/Hydrogen system make it competitive on a life cycle cost basis.One of the key modifications made to the conventional NickeVHydrogen technology was JCBGl's development of a CPV design. In the conventional IPV design, each cell Is contained wlthln its own pressure vessel. The CPV vessel houses multiple cells. The total number of cells enclosedIn a single vessel is limited only by the design constraints of the application. JCBGl's patented CPV technology employs unique thermal management and cell venting design approaches which overcome the historical thermal and electrolyte management concems related to CPV design. 7-KWH BOILERPLATE BATTERYIn 1988, a 7-kWh CPV battery, composed of four separate IO-cell modules each contained in a boilerplate pressure vessel, was delivered to SNL. The battery was coupled to a photovoltaic array and performed admirably for over 2 years of testing. Details of these photovoltaic tests have been reported previously (41.At the culmination df that test program, the battery was returned to JCBGI where it was stored temporarily in a fully discharged open circuit condition for approximately one year. Parametric testing of the battery has now been reinitiated at JCBGI with the continued support of SNL.The 7-kWh design consists of four nominal 1 2-volt, 150 amp-hour modules, lnltlally wired In a serles/parallel arrangement to deliver 300 Ah at 24V, and packaged In a rectangular framework (Figure 1). Passive cooling assists thermal management; no active cooling was provided. Electrical taps are provided on a panel to allow series testing in 12 volt multiples up to 48 volts with a capacity of 150 to 600 Ah. Each battery module contains ten prismatic cells. Details of the cell design have been reported previously [3]. FIGURE 1: 7-KWH BATTERY IN BOILERPLATE VESSELSThe 7-kWh battery incorporates a number of design changes from aerospace technolog...