Prismatic 20 Ampere Hour Lithium-ion Batteries for Aerospace Applications

Lithium-ion batteries with their high specific energy and energy density, offer a unique weight and volume solution to aerospace requirements. Under sponsorship of the USAF, Yardney Technical Products, Inc. is developing a prismatic 20 Ah Li-ion cell that delivers a specific energy of 130 Wh/kg and energy density of 250 Wh/l. These cells also demonstrate high pulse rate capability and, with design improvements, will result in batteries that meet or exceed the demanding requirements of aerospace applications. This paper will present the design considerations for these first generation cells as well as the results of performance and life testing.