Development of a NICAD Battery Interface Unit.
Abstract
This report describes the effort to develop and test a Battery Interface Unit (BIU) for use on Army aircraft. The BIU provides a means to charge and monitor the status of nickel-cadmium batteries and is an onboard unit that can be readily integrated with the existing aircraft electrical system. The initial portion of the multitask program involved definition of candidate approaches, analysis to select the optimum approach, and design of a system to implement the multilevel, constant current approach selected as optimum. Six BIU's were then fabricated, three to operate with an AC input and three to operate from a DC input; they were subjected to a variety of performance and environmental tests to demonstrate performance. The objectives of the program were to develop a system that would reduce battery maintenance cost, increase the useful life of NICAD batteries, and eliminate battery-related safety hazards. The results of the program clearly demonstrated that a BIU can be built which meets these objectives and which can be packaged within weight and volume limits compatible with onbaord aircraft usage. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA064290
Entities
People
- Earnest Stephens
Organizations
- Stellantis North America (formerly Chrysler)