Electrochemical Testing at SAFT to Support Health Prognostication Management for Aviation

Lithium ion batteries offer more power and longer cycle life than traditional technologies for many different applications. However, Li-ion batteries are new in the aviation applications and due to the lack of experience they are preventively removed from service before any problems may occur with the battery. This currently makes them unnecessarily expensive. A health diagnostic system needs to be developed and installed in the battery will show the state of health reducing maintenance costs. The purpose of this paper is to show Saft's approach to better understand cell aging through testing using reference electrodes. The aging of the cell anode and cathode will be analyzed under aircraft conditions to determine points of failure. The data acquired will then be used by Global Technology to create a prognostics health management (PHM) model for aviation.