Electrical and Thermal Properties of NiCd Battery for Low Earth Orbit Satellite's Applications

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) batteries are well proven for LEO satellite's application. NiCd batteries are not very energy-dense, but they are inexpensive, lightweight, and extensively proven (1). This paper describes the development of a simulation electrical and thermal model for a sealed rechargeable NiCd battery. Based on the concept of this battery type, a mathematical description of the various electrochemical and thermal processes occurring inside the battery can be given. A family of curves was introduced as a result of the modelling and simulation work in this paper. Some of these curves are verified with an experimental work results. The validation phases and the dynamics of the battery parameters convergence are extremely high and acceptable. The electrical and thermal properties are shown. One aim of the present research is to study the thermal behavior of a NiCd battery for space applications. After a description of the effect of temperature on NiCd cell electrical properties, a thermal model has been developed to calculate the temperature profile in a NiCd cell stack during charging and discharging processes during ground testing. The equations describing the temperature distribution of the cell stack are derived and then the temperature results are presented. Finally, the calculated temperatures are compared to those measured during ground testing. When selecting batteries for space flight applications, the following requirements should be considered: ampere- hour capacity, recharge-ability, depth of discharge (DOD), lifetime, temperature environments, ruggedness, and weight. Many batteries have been qualified and used for space flight, enhancing the ease of selecting the right battery.