Nickel-Iron Battery: Difference between revisions

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{{under construction}}
{{OrigLang}}
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_iron_battery


=Basic Concepts Behind Construction=
{{GVCS Header}}
The electrochemistry of a Nickel iron battery is similar to a NiCd or NiMH battery in that nickel oxyhydroxide is used as an anode, but iron is used instead of the toxic metal complexes in NiCd and NiMH batteries.  During discharge, both metals turn into their hydroxide forms: Ni(OH)2 and Fe(OH)2. (see the wikipedia article under electrochemistry).  Given the resilience and rechargeability of the NiFe battery, it should be possible to build it in a discharged state, combining the appropriate hydroxides of Nickel and Iron. Alternatively, the battery could be constructed out of metallic nickel and iron, and the nickel should mostly convert to an NiOOH form after the first discharge-charge cycle.


=Overview=
[[File:Nickel-Iron Batterypic.png|thumb|400px|Nickel Iron Battery]]


=First test=
The '''Nickel Iron Battery is the only known lifetime design battery. These last 100 years, such as the Edison batteries unearthed after a century that work like new. Thus, it is the primary electrical energy storage device for the [[GVCS]], outside of indirect sources such as [[Compressed Air Energy Storage]], water [[Gravity Storage]], and storage of energy via [[Hydrogen Production]].
A sample concrete cell was tested, but no practical benefit is achieved using concrete as an electrolyte, as to be effective, the entire cell must be submerged, and the electrical conductivity of cement is far too high when submerged.  A new design is in the works for a cell which would use raw glycerine (glycerol) as a byproduct of biodiesel production, thus improving the ecologies of both systems.  The rationale is that the lye (KOH or NaOH) which 'contaminates' the glycerine should prove to be an effective electrolyte, and the glycerine itself should support a more stable cell. (Glycerine will evaporate much more slowly than water, and due to higher viscosity, should even further improve vibration-resistance of the cell.  Ideally, this design could even be adapted to portable units.


==Advantages==
*'''Theoretically unlimited lifetime''': Long lifetime of 8-10 years - when you don't throw out the battery - just replace the electrolyte. [http://www.s4solar.co.nz/information/products/nickel_iron_battery/]
*About X = $1000/kW - but unlimited life means that the full-cost accounted cost means that the cost is really X/N - where N is a number that you choose. Think of this - the core lives for ever - you replace the casing and electrolyte.
*Open source design of electrodes
*Cells can be made to any Ahr rating
*Nickel and iron obtained from scrap stream, reprocessed via [[Induction Furnace]]
*Completely closed loop material cycle ecology
*Max discharge/charge = C/2. Optimal charge/discharge - C/4. [https://ironedison.com/images/products/Iron%20Edison/NiFe%20Industrial/Iron_Edison_Nickel_Iron_battery_spec_sheet_2017.pdf]
*Vidoe showing build of a simple cell - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K84PywMwjZg]
*Discharge at 1C rate appears to get 70% of battery capacity? Not likely, it must be more like time - [[File:1cnickeliron.png|300px]]. Source - [https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Max-long-life-nife-nickel-iron_1986518612.html]


=Preliminary Figures for a 12V, 1kWh pile=
==Disadvantages==
NiFe cells produce a working potential of 1.2V, and charge at 1.4V.  A 12V battery would then consist of 10 cells, and charge at 14V which is typical for most "12V" batteries.  To achieve 1kWh capacity, we will need 1000W/12V = ~85Ah. This means that each cell will need to provide 85Ah capacity. This corresponds to 306,000C, which is approximately 3.17 moles of electrons. Sheet steel will form a base material for the electrodes, so iron is not a limiting factor. Nickel's electrochemistry in an NiFe battery indicates a 1:1 molar ratio, so 3.17 moles of nickel will be required. This is about 185g of Ni at a molar mass of 58.69g/mole. For a 'safety' margin, we will round up to 200g. At 200g Ni per cell, a total of 2kg of nickel will be needed for a 1kWh unit. The actual capacity of this cell based on the rounded values above would be 1095.8kWh.
*The historical NiFe technology’s notable limitations include low specific energy,
low power, low charge retention and poor low temperature performance along with being high
cost1 and is still in limited mass production throughout the world today for specific applications.
NiFe battery chemistry is known for its robustness, extreme shelf and cycle life. The historical
NiFe technology that was most robust to abuse also had limitations in being heavy, low power,
low charge retention and poor low temperature performance along with being high cost. Thus,
over the years, other nickel battery technologies (e.g., NiCd, NiMH, NiZn, and NiH2) have
displaced NiFe in many applications. [https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1323594-selected-test-results-from-encell-technology-nickel-iron-battery]. This paper discusses the 'improved' Encell cell with much shorter lifetime.
*OSE Assessment:
**Low specific energy - still perfect for stationary applications of renewable energy
**Low power - in a renewable energy scenario, large loads are run from PV when the sun is shining. Battery storage is only carry-over through the night for essential activity such as computers and internet - not heating or cooling (high-priority overnight cooling needs, such as refrigeration, can still be met by Ni-Fe using devices with an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverter_compressor inverter compressors]). Thus, low power is not an issue.
**Low temperature performance - is an issue if batteries are outside in freezing temperatures.
**High cost - that is not an accurate assessment. They have a higher up-front cost, but their lifetime cost is significantly lower. Lead acid survives because it is a good car starter battery, but for power storage, it does not do well.
**C/2 max discharge rate.


=The Latest=
*2012 - '''Ultra Nickel Iron Bats sighted in Nature''' - high performance nanotech batteries have been shown to be 1000x more powerful than Edison's originals and nearly 100% [[Coulombic Efficiency]] - in 2012 - [https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1921]. Thus, the potential is there for a safe and durable battery - even in automotive applications.
*2020 - '''Batolyzer - Combination battery and electrolyzer'''-  has been demonstrated for producing hydrogen in addition to storing energy, thus killing 3 birds with one stone. Energy storage, hydrogen production, and [[SDG 7]]. See paper at [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2020.509052/full]
*2017 - High discharge, sintereed iron electrodes, 2017 - '''3500 cycles at 100% depth of discharge'''. Potential for solving grid storage. [https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/2.1161702jes/pdf]


=Environmental Aspects=
=Detailed Description=


All batteries (at least the ones in common use) are toxic to a greater or lesser extent.  The NiFe Battery isn't an exception, but it is far less toxic than Cadmium-based batteries.
The '''nickel-iron battery''' (NiFe battery) or "edison cell" is a storage battery having a nickel oxide-hydroxide cathode and an iron anode, with an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide (lye can be used as a substitute).  


* Iron is non-toxic and commonly available.
The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets.  
* Nickel Oxide is toxic.  The Appropriate Technology Collaborative is investigating toxicity [http://apptechdesign.org/].
* The lye electrolyte is caustic and corrosive, but perhaps could be used in small amounts.
* Suspending the lye in glycerin also mitigates effects.
* Glycerin is a by-product of creating bio-diesel, thus using a waste of a different process.


=Sources=
It is a very robust battery which is tolerant of abuse, (overcharge, overdischarge, and short-circuiting) and can have very long life even if so treated.


FusionBeads [http://www.fusionbeads.com/shop/product/48723/] 3"x3" 24 gauge nickel sheet is $3.25.<br>
It is often used in backup situations where it can be continuously charged and can last for more than 20 years.
Metric:  76.2x76.2mm and 0.5mm thick.  The density of nickel is 8.902 g/cm3.  2903.22 mm3 which is 2.90 cm3.  Thus, each sheet weights 25.84g.  2000g (2kg required as above) is 77.38 sheets.  $251.50 is the cost of 2kg of nickel.  Actually, it can be gotten cheaper in these quantities, but this is an outside number.


We need to look into purchasing in bulk as it is far cheaper than this sheet, although sheet could be used for electrode material. Those guys must be making generous profit to say the least.
'''Nickel-iron batteries''' have ~50 year lifetimes, compared to a few-year lifetime of lead acid batteries. They are environmentally more benign, and lend themselves to local recycling and fabrication. They can have higher discharge rates and faster charge times than lead-acid batteries depending on mechanical design of the electrodes etc, so they lend themselves not only to off-grid power, but also to power electronics applications such as welding and heavy workshop power.  In China a company by the name of changhong batteries makes a version of them for use in automotive starter batteries. Their energy density is half that of lead-acid batteries, but their long lifetime and deep discharge ability makes them highly relevant to the [[GVCS]], including to electric farming equipment as the next generation of [[LifeTrac]] infrastructure.  


=Price of Nickel and Iron=
The [[Edison Battery]] was developed and promoted primarily by Thomas A Edison.
http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=nickel  price is very roughly $23 per kg.  Pretty good really.
http://www.steelonthenet.com/commodity_prices.html  price $0.60 per kg for scrap steel, presumably pure iron would be in that range.


=Product Ecology=
[[Image:Electricalpowereco.png|600px|thumb|[[Product Ecology]]]]


From the electrochemistry figures above for a 1 kWh unit, that would be $48 or so on metals.  So 20 Wh per $ ($0.05 per Wh). Even the cheapest lead acid batteries are 7 Wh per $.  In reality they are more like 4.  So the good news it that materials cost should not sink the ship anyway, although I'm sure all the other costs for the perforated pocket, assembly etc. will add up plenty fast.
{{Product Ecology


=Toxicity=
|Product={{Battery}}
Nickel itself that is the concern rather than any particular compound.  Water soluble compounds are unsurprisingly much more of a concern than metal that is bound in solid objects like nickel plating or some types of stainless steel, since it is more bioavailable and can be spread and spilled more easily.  At low levels of exposure talking in terms of nickel content is done.  But of course the exact solubility and other factors has a substantial effect on the exact toxicity at higher levels of different water soluble compounds too, note the ld50 is 10x lower for nickel chloride as for nickel oxyhydroxide according to the documents below, so the expedient of speaking in terms of nickel content doesn't always work that well.


Still all metals are toxic to some degree including iron and we need some numbers to make an informed decision.  Preferably a solid evaluation of dose response relationship, and if the batteries are to be widely adopted now is the time to factor in chronic exposure too.  It needs to be considered not in a vacuum but relative to other options available.
|From=
*{{3D Printer}} - Casing
*[[Controller Box]] - Power
*{{Rod and Wire Mill}} - Wires, Tubes


This is one of the benefits of batteries with non aqueous electrolytes apparently - the compounds involved in such batteries are less soluble in water since most compounds trend towards being soluble in aqueous or nonaqueous solvents but not both.
|Creates=
*[[Electricity]]


higher quality :
|Uses=
http://jas.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/5/620
http://www.annclinlabsci.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/2/119
http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1236757324101 looks better but didn't read msot of it
http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0271.htm
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/53189.htm
http://www.nickelinstitute.org/index.cfm/ci_id/13029/la_id/safe_use_guide_5.cfm.htm


unkown due to lack of acess:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19888907
http://www.annclinlabsci.org/cgi/content/abstract/7/5/377 
Low quality:
http://www.crios.be/Nickel/toxicology.htm
material safety datasheets with information regarding nickel oxyhydroxide, clearly it is sometimes used as anode material in NiMH, in fact most of the hits are datasheets for such batteries rather than the material itsself:
http://www.rdbatteries.net/Data/Panasonic_NiMH_Info.pdf
http://www.chiefsupply.com/resources/msds/Moto-NiCd.pdf
http://www.batteriesplus.com/msds/Duracell_Nickel_Oxyhydroxide_%20Batteries_NorthAmericaMSDS.pdf  (as if companies would give accurate information on their own products)
http://www.it.pg.com/productsafety/msds/fabric_and_homecare/duracell/Duracell_Nickel_Oxyhydroxide_Batteries_(North_America_MSDS).pdf


Note that the permissible exposure limits (PEL) for the material  is about a fifth that of graphite, which we know is not too toxic though it might accumulate in the lungs I guess.  Still there are a lot of variables there as most particles inhaled are not retained, depends on size etc etc.
|Enables=
*{{Universal Power Supply}} - Stores energy
*[[Charge Controller]]
*[[Inverter]]


Obviously the LD50 is quite low at 1000 mg/kg range.  But that means little in terms of what happens at lower levels.  For Chloride it seems to be in the 100 mg/kg range.
|Components=


}}


http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/nickelsolublecompounds/recognition.html  They fail to say dosages in critical places, this information is actually low quality
=Components=
==Anode Compound==


nickel chloride:
* iron plate - low carbon, mild steel (demo)
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Nickel_chloride-9926213
* iron graphite compounded (Edison)
* iron oxide
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron(II,III)_oxide


oxide:http://www.inchem.org/documents/ukpids/ukpids/ukpid70.htm
==node Construction==


From Dietary information perspective:
* plain plate (demo)
http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/ULs%20for%20Vitamins%20and%20Elements.pdf
* pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)


"A Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is the highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population. Unless otherwise
==Cathode Compounds==
specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water, and supplements."


1 milligram per day for nickel, 40 for iron. Well that's to totally zero adverse effect level and there's probably plenty of room for more there. Nickel is probably available as a dietary supplement, I wonder what happens when people take too much.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28III%29_oxide-hydroxide Nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide]
:* [https://www.spectrumchemical.com/OA_HTML/chemical-products_NickelII-Chloride-Anhydrous-for-General-Organic-Chemistry_TCI-N0850.jsp?sitex=10020:22372:US&section=25807 Nickel (II) chloride]
:* [http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite#section_3 bleach]
* nickel hydrate and pure nickel flake (Edison)


http://www.eoearth.org/article/Public_Health_Statement_for_Nickel case report little more than half way down of people drinking 250 mg/liter (250 ppm) nickel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28II%29_hydroxide
welding, relevant to pocket production:
http://www.crios.be/Welding/toxicology.htm Maybe it woudl be better to make the pockets without welding. Folding perforated sheets cleverly, sewing with nickel wire etc. plenty of other options that shoud lbe fine .


As usual it is difficult to obtain quality information on a health issue and it is very time consuming to wade through the crap and get some answers.  Case reports, vague qualitative statements, condtradictions, paywalls, are the norm.  Ideally a table of dose-response relationships for a range of different people over a wide range of doses would be obtained but whatever.
Nickel(II) carbonate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28II%29_carbonate can be combined with water to form Nickel(II) oxide], which can be used in cells. It generates Carbon Dioxide when mixed with water, which may affect Potassium Hydroxide in solution.  Mix with water and allow to complete outgassing and dry before building the cell.


In summary it looks like it is certainly less problematic than lead or mercury, gloves, ladling or scooping rather than pouring dry materials, and working outside would more than suffice for me personally.  Spills of solutions should be prevented.
Nickel(III) hydroxide "Nickel Oxide Black" and Nickel(II) carbonate "Green" are used as clay/ceramic colorants and available cheaply from ceramic and pottery related websites ... and though the purity is considered lower, it is still usuable for experimentation at a much lower cost.


==Cathode Construction==


=Related pages=
* plain plate (demo)
http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Nickel-Iron_Batter/Research  (the page was accidentally created with the lack of y typo, don't know how to change that)
* pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)
* generally nickel-plated rather than pure nickel


http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Batteries
* Nickel sponge
* Sintered nickel powder
* Nickel mesh/cloth
 
==Electrolyte==
 
* aqueous potassium hydroxide
:* [https://www.spectrumchemical.com/OA_HTML/chemical-products_Potassium-Hydroxide-Pellets-Reagent-ACS_P1315.jsp?sitex=10020:22372:US&section=15947 link]
:* Water (121g per 100ml)
* sodium hydroxide (alternate, lower voltage)
* lithium (modern additive)
 
==Cell Casing==
 
* nickel-plated steel box, rubber seals (Edison)
* plastic box (modern commercial)
* glass jars (demo projects)
* pvc cylinders (Ed's Workshop)
 
=Status=
The '''Nickel-Iron Battery''' is currently in the [[Nickel-Iron_Battery/Research_Development|research phase of development]].
 
=See Also=
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_(electricity) Wikipedia: Battery]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_iron_battery Wikipedia: Nickel Iron Battery]
* [http://www.beutilityfree.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=129 Battery Lifetimes]
 
==Other Communities==
 
http://offgrid2.altervista.org/viewforum.php?f=7
 
=Off-the-Shelf=
 
There's a number of suppliers of Ni-Fe batteries today.
 
==Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd==
 
It looks like most US companies selling Ni-Fe were white-label resellers of imported batteries manufactured by Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd (SCBC) in Mianyang, China.  This is a huge manufacturer; I don't think you can buy direct from them.
 
# [https://qualmega.com/scbc.html Qualmega, Inc.] is "the exclusive distributor of Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd (SCBC)". They have an [[:File:Qualmega_Nickel_Iron_Battery.pdf|excellent brochure]] that describes the manufacture of the batteries in great detail. For example, they describe the construction method for the electrodes and state the battery case is made from MBS or PP (exact dimensions given for each Ah).
# Iron Edison was one of the most popular resellers of Changhong batteries<ref>https://www.terravolt.net/iron-edison</ref>, but they went bankrupt during COVID (June 2023)
# Zapp Works in Montana, USA (defunct)
# [https://beutilityfree.com/ Be Utility Free] has been selling Ni-Fe batteries longer than Iron Edison
 
==Seawill Technology Co., Ltd.==
 
Another company (listed as both a manufacturer and a trader on alibaba) that sells Ni-Fe batteries in China is [https://seawill.en.alibaba.com/ SeaWill]. You *can* buy direct from them.
 
==Cost==
*$4k for a 4.3kWhr usable capacity battery - see [https://beyondoilsolar.com/product/nickel-iron-battery-industrial-series/].
*Note that if this is authentically 4.3kW and it lasts 30years - then this is 1/2 the cost of a 24kWhr $4k forklift battery. A forklift battery will last 5 years [https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk026QG9BbsZl0rNsBS9KmerMgczY_w%3A1602863734253&source=hp&ei=dsKJX6q8DJDYsAXHkpG4Cw&q=how+long+does+a+forklift+battery+last&btnK=Google+Search&oq=how+to+configure+nvidia+geforce+gtx+1650+super+on+linux+mint&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCCEQoAEyBQghEKsCMgUIIRCrAjoOCAAQ6gIQtAIQmgEQ5QI6DgguELEDEMcBEKMCEJMCOggILhDHARCvAToLCC4QsQMQxwEQowI6CAgAELEDEIMBOggILhCxAxCDAToFCAAQsQM6AggAOgQIABAKOgYIABAWEB46CAghEBYQHRAeOgcIIRAKEKABUMsQWOmzAWD8tAFoBnAAeACAAeQGiAGhS5IBDTExLjQ3LjMuMi42LTGYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6sAEG&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiqz4DcvLnsAhUQLKwKHUdJBLcQ4dUDCAk&uact=5] - so this is 1/6 the length of the NiFe lifetime - or equivalent 4kW over the same time period. However, the beyondoilsolar.com link above says that electrolyte replacement at 30 years gets you another 30 years. If that is true, then we have 60 years life - and 1/2 the cost of lead acid batteries.
*Disadvantage is slow discharge at C/2 rate max. For a 100A bat at 48V, that is 2400W. Plenty.
*'''Summary - the up-front cost is steep - but lifetime considerations make this a very attractive offer.'''
*Once open sourced, cost should go down 2x-5x still.
*If we use Lead Acid for long life - 10% DoD - 2.4kW - for 20 year life - that is 3x more expensive than Nickel-Iron batteries over a 30 year life, and 6x more expensive over a 60 year life.
 
=Links=
*Good technical description on construction, including patents - '''[[Edison Battery]]'''
*Energy density is 13 Whr/lb. Compare to Li-Ion at 10x this.
*Paper on reconditioning 85 year old batteries - [http://www.nickel-iron-battery.com/Edison%20Cell%20Rejuvenation%2085%20yr-old%2013.%20DeMar.pdf]
*'''Critique of Nickel Iron batteries - [https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/14736/compare-nickel-iron-edison-batteries-and-chinese-ni-fe-cells]''' - says that deep discharge destroys them.
*Considerations for NiFe as starting batteries - [[Nickel-Iron SLI Battery]]
*[[Nickel-Iron Battery/Prototype]]
*Emails and communications - [[Battery Collaboration]]
*See also Category:Nickel-Iron Battery Prototypes
*[[Nickel-Iron Battery/Chemistry]]
*Detailed construction of the battery is described in the book at [[Nickel-Iron_Battery/Manufacturing_Instructions]] - this is the best study of industry standards and taking off point for development. P. 14 in the PDF shows construction details of the battery.
 
{{GVCS Footer}}

Latest revision as of 20:18, 18 May 2024


Nickel-Iron Battery
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Overview

Nickel Iron Battery

The Nickel Iron Battery is the only known lifetime design battery. These last 100 years, such as the Edison batteries unearthed after a century that work like new. Thus, it is the primary electrical energy storage device for the GVCS, outside of indirect sources such as Compressed Air Energy Storage, water Gravity Storage, and storage of energy via Hydrogen Production.

Advantages

  • Theoretically unlimited lifetime: Long lifetime of 8-10 years - when you don't throw out the battery - just replace the electrolyte. [1]
  • About X = $1000/kW - but unlimited life means that the full-cost accounted cost means that the cost is really X/N - where N is a number that you choose. Think of this - the core lives for ever - you replace the casing and electrolyte.
  • Open source design of electrodes
  • Cells can be made to any Ahr rating
  • Nickel and iron obtained from scrap stream, reprocessed via Induction Furnace
  • Completely closed loop material cycle ecology
  • Max discharge/charge = C/2. Optimal charge/discharge - C/4. [2]
  • Vidoe showing build of a simple cell - [3]
  • Discharge at 1C rate appears to get 70% of battery capacity? Not likely, it must be more like time - 1cnickeliron.png. Source - [4]

Disadvantages

  • The historical NiFe technology’s notable limitations include low specific energy,

low power, low charge retention and poor low temperature performance along with being high cost1 and is still in limited mass production throughout the world today for specific applications. NiFe battery chemistry is known for its robustness, extreme shelf and cycle life. The historical NiFe technology that was most robust to abuse also had limitations in being heavy, low power, low charge retention and poor low temperature performance along with being high cost. Thus, over the years, other nickel battery technologies (e.g., NiCd, NiMH, NiZn, and NiH2) have displaced NiFe in many applications. [5]. This paper discusses the 'improved' Encell cell with much shorter lifetime.

  • OSE Assessment:
    • Low specific energy - still perfect for stationary applications of renewable energy
    • Low power - in a renewable energy scenario, large loads are run from PV when the sun is shining. Battery storage is only carry-over through the night for essential activity such as computers and internet - not heating or cooling (high-priority overnight cooling needs, such as refrigeration, can still be met by Ni-Fe using devices with an inverter compressors). Thus, low power is not an issue.
    • Low temperature performance - is an issue if batteries are outside in freezing temperatures.
    • High cost - that is not an accurate assessment. They have a higher up-front cost, but their lifetime cost is significantly lower. Lead acid survives because it is a good car starter battery, but for power storage, it does not do well.
    • C/2 max discharge rate.

The Latest

  • 2012 - Ultra Nickel Iron Bats sighted in Nature - high performance nanotech batteries have been shown to be 1000x more powerful than Edison's originals and nearly 100% Coulombic Efficiency - in 2012 - [6]. Thus, the potential is there for a safe and durable battery - even in automotive applications.
  • 2020 - Batolyzer - Combination battery and electrolyzer- has been demonstrated for producing hydrogen in addition to storing energy, thus killing 3 birds with one stone. Energy storage, hydrogen production, and SDG 7. See paper at [7]
  • 2017 - High discharge, sintereed iron electrodes, 2017 - 3500 cycles at 100% depth of discharge. Potential for solving grid storage. [8]

Detailed Description

The nickel-iron battery (NiFe battery) or "edison cell" is a storage battery having a nickel oxide-hydroxide cathode and an iron anode, with an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide (lye can be used as a substitute).

The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets.

It is a very robust battery which is tolerant of abuse, (overcharge, overdischarge, and short-circuiting) and can have very long life even if so treated.

It is often used in backup situations where it can be continuously charged and can last for more than 20 years.

Nickel-iron batteries have ~50 year lifetimes, compared to a few-year lifetime of lead acid batteries. They are environmentally more benign, and lend themselves to local recycling and fabrication. They can have higher discharge rates and faster charge times than lead-acid batteries depending on mechanical design of the electrodes etc, so they lend themselves not only to off-grid power, but also to power electronics applications such as welding and heavy workshop power. In China a company by the name of changhong batteries makes a version of them for use in automotive starter batteries. Their energy density is half that of lead-acid batteries, but their long lifetime and deep discharge ability makes them highly relevant to the GVCS, including to electric farming equipment as the next generation of LifeTrac infrastructure.

The Edison Battery was developed and promoted primarily by Thomas A Edison.

Product Ecology

Product Ecology
Product Ecology
Battery Battery
From Uses Creates Enables

Components

Components

Anode Compound

node Construction

  • plain plate (demo)
  • pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)

Cathode Compounds

  • nickel hydrate and pure nickel flake (Edison)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28II%29_hydroxide

Nickel(II) carbonate can be combined with water to form Nickel(II) oxide, which can be used in cells. It generates Carbon Dioxide when mixed with water, which may affect Potassium Hydroxide in solution. Mix with water and allow to complete outgassing and dry before building the cell.

Nickel(III) hydroxide "Nickel Oxide Black" and Nickel(II) carbonate "Green" are used as clay/ceramic colorants and available cheaply from ceramic and pottery related websites ... and though the purity is considered lower, it is still usuable for experimentation at a much lower cost.

Cathode Construction

  • plain plate (demo)
  • pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)
  • generally nickel-plated rather than pure nickel
  • Nickel sponge
  • Sintered nickel powder
  • Nickel mesh/cloth

Electrolyte

  • aqueous potassium hydroxide
  • link
  • Water (121g per 100ml)
  • sodium hydroxide (alternate, lower voltage)
  • lithium (modern additive)

Cell Casing

  • nickel-plated steel box, rubber seals (Edison)
  • plastic box (modern commercial)
  • glass jars (demo projects)
  • pvc cylinders (Ed's Workshop)

Status

The Nickel-Iron Battery is currently in the research phase of development.

See Also

Other Communities

http://offgrid2.altervista.org/viewforum.php?f=7

Off-the-Shelf

There's a number of suppliers of Ni-Fe batteries today.

Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd

It looks like most US companies selling Ni-Fe were white-label resellers of imported batteries manufactured by Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd (SCBC) in Mianyang, China. This is a huge manufacturer; I don't think you can buy direct from them.

  1. Qualmega, Inc. is "the exclusive distributor of Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd (SCBC)". They have an excellent brochure that describes the manufacture of the batteries in great detail. For example, they describe the construction method for the electrodes and state the battery case is made from MBS or PP (exact dimensions given for each Ah).
  2. Iron Edison was one of the most popular resellers of Changhong batteries[1], but they went bankrupt during COVID (June 2023)
  3. Zapp Works in Montana, USA (defunct)
  4. Be Utility Free has been selling Ni-Fe batteries longer than Iron Edison

Seawill Technology Co., Ltd.

Another company (listed as both a manufacturer and a trader on alibaba) that sells Ni-Fe batteries in China is SeaWill. You *can* buy direct from them.

Cost

  • $4k for a 4.3kWhr usable capacity battery - see [9].
  • Note that if this is authentically 4.3kW and it lasts 30years - then this is 1/2 the cost of a 24kWhr $4k forklift battery. A forklift battery will last 5 years [10] - so this is 1/6 the length of the NiFe lifetime - or equivalent 4kW over the same time period. However, the beyondoilsolar.com link above says that electrolyte replacement at 30 years gets you another 30 years. If that is true, then we have 60 years life - and 1/2 the cost of lead acid batteries.
  • Disadvantage is slow discharge at C/2 rate max. For a 100A bat at 48V, that is 2400W. Plenty.
  • Summary - the up-front cost is steep - but lifetime considerations make this a very attractive offer.
  • Once open sourced, cost should go down 2x-5x still.
  • If we use Lead Acid for long life - 10% DoD - 2.4kW - for 20 year life - that is 3x more expensive than Nickel-Iron batteries over a 30 year life, and 6x more expensive over a 60 year life.

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  1. ↑ https://www.terravolt.net/iron-edison
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