Nickel-Iron Battery: Difference between revisions

From Open Source Ecology
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(226 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{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 a cathode, but iron is used instead of the toxic metal complexes in NiCd and most NiMH batteries as the anode.  During discharge, both metals turn into their hydroxide forms: Ni(OH)2 and Fe(OH)2. (see the wikipedia article under electrochemistry). 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 could be converted to NiOOH or Ni(OH)2 in situ through oxidization with ozone or peroxide and UV or some other means.  (We will definitely need someone who knows some chemistry and is willing to put in some time at at least several stages in this development process.)


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


==Preliminary Figures for a 12V, 1kWh pile==
==Advantages==
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.
*'''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]


==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. [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.


==Environmental Aspects==
=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]


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.
=Detailed Description=


* Iron is non-toxic and commonly available.
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).  
* 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==
The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets.


FusionBeads [http://www.fusionbeads.com/shop/product/48723/] 3"x3" 24 gauge nickel sheet is $3.25.<br>
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.
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.
It is often used in backup situations where it can be continuously charged and can last for more than 20 years.


There are several ways to make the nickel electrode which require different raw materials. See electrode sections for details.  In short there are established ways which use metallic nickel, oxyhydroxide, nickel oxide (NiO2 I think), nickel nitrate and potentially other salts, and maybe the hydroxide.   Which material will be needed can be chosen on price, availability and the ease of the associated manufacturing technique.
'''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.  


A look on alibaba indicates that the nickel compounds may be substantially cheaper than the metal.
The [[Edison Battery]] was developed and promoted primarily by Thomas A Edison.


==Price of Nickel and Iron==
=Product Ecology=
http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=nickel  price is very roughly $23 per kg.  Pretty good really.
[[Image:Electricalpowereco.png|600px|thumb|[[Product Ecology]]]]
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


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={{Battery}}


==Toxicity==
|From=
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.
*{{3D Printer}} - Casing
*[[Controller Box]] - Power
*{{Rod and Wire Mill}} - Wires, Tubes


Note that nickel hydroxide, oxide and oxyhydroxide are all considered "insoluble" although obviously the chemistry here depends on them being at least a bit soluble.  But that increases the safety margin a bit.  It may be substantially higher under these alkali conditions though.
|Creates=
*[[Electricity]]


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.
|Uses=


higher quality :
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 l
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


unknown due to lack of access:
|Enables=
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19888907
*{{Universal Power Supply}} - Stores energy
http://www.annclinlabsci.org/cgi/content/abstract/7/5/377 
*[[Charge Controller]]
Low quality:
*[[Inverter]]
http://www.crios.be/Nickel/toxicology.htm
material safety datasheets with information regarding nickel oxyhydroxide, clearly it is sometimes used as a material in NiMH, in fact most of the hits are datasheets for such batteries rather than the material itself:
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.
|Components=


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=
==Anode Compound==


http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/nickelsolublecompounds/recognition.html  They fail to say dosages in critical places, this information is actually low quality.
* iron plate - low carbon, mild steel (demo)
* iron graphite compounded (Edison)
* iron oxide
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron(II,III)_oxide


nickel chloride:
==node Construction==
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Nickel_chloride-9926213


oxide:http://www.inchem.org/documents/ukpids/ukpids/ukpid70.htm
* plain plate (demo)
* pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)


From Dietary information perspective:
==Cathode Compounds==
http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/ULs%20for%20Vitamins%20and%20Elements.pdf


"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
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28III%29_oxide-hydroxide Nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide]
specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water, and supplements."
:* [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)


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%28II%29_hydroxide


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
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.
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 should be 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, contradictions, and 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(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.


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 and especially powders should be prevented.
==Cathode Construction==


==Sticking points and contributions imminently needed==
* plain plate (demo)
* pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)
* generally nickel-plated rather than pure nickel


We need to obtain the documents with the titles below.  They are almost all available through sciencedirect.com, just search the titles. Linking to them directly is not possible because of the way they do the URLs. ''' If you can obtain these in some way, please do so without delay.''' I suggest temporarily changing your browser's default download folder to a new folder to fill up or something for efficiency.
* Nickel sponge
* Sintered nickel powder
* Nickel mesh/cloth


Then these can be legally shared by e.g. zippyshare.com with other developers who ask for a copy under the fair use doctrine.
==Electrolyte==


We basically want all papers that mention nickel iron specifically and most of the others that relate to battery electrodes made from nickel oxyhydroxide, and metallic iron and/or iron oxides. The electrode ones may not mention "nickel iron" per se because e.g. a good iron electrode can also be used in several other battery chemistries.  
* 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)


-To produce a battery that is economical, relatively easy to make, and which works to satisfaction (~0.2C, equal to or greater than 60% round trip efficiency) with efficient use of prototyping time, we need this information. I volunteer to read them all and come up with a plan for the next prototype(s) but do not have access.  I can go back and get the full citations if they are for some reason needed. -Gregor
==Cell Casing==


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


Assessment of performance characteristics of the nickel---iron cell
=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]


SECONDARY BATTERIES - NICKEL SYSTEMS  Nickel–Iron
==Other Communities==


SECONDARY BATTERIES - NICKEL SYSTEMS Electrodes: Nickel
http://offgrid2.altervista.org/viewforum.php?f=7


SECONDARY BATTERIES - NICKEL SYSTEMS
=Off-the-Shelf=


SECONDARY BATTERIES - NICKEL SYSTEMS Electrodes: Iron 
There's a number of suppliers of Ni-Fe batteries today.
The nickel/iron battery       


A nickel-iron battery with roll-compacted iron electrodes
==Sichuan Changhong Battery Co., Ltd==


Developmental studies on porous iron electrodes for the nickel---iron cell
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.


The electrochemical generation of ferrate at pressed iron powder electrode: comparison with a foil electrode
# [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


6V, 60Ah nickel-iron battery.
==Seawill Technology Co., Ltd.==
[http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=2274533EA]
Bulletin of Electrochemistry. Vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 263-265. 1990  <--- not available through sciencedirect.com


''Less important but still highly desirable:''
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.
The role of FeS and (NH4)2CO3 additives on the pressed type Fe electrode


Passivation of iron in alkaline carbonate solutions
==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.


Electrochemical characteristics of iron carbide as an active material in alkaline batteries
=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.


­Temperature limitations of primary and secondary alkaline battery electrodes
{{GVCS Footer}}
 
97/03847 Performance characterization of sintered iron electrodes in nickel/iron alkaline batteries
 
 
 
Nickel-based rechargeable batteries
 
 
Performance characterization of sintered iron electrodes in  nickel/iron alkaline batteries
 
On the key importance of homogeneity in the electrochemical performance of industrial positive
 
active materials in nickel batteries
 
Electrochemical behaviour of Teflon-bonded iron oxide electrodes in alkaline solutions
Rechargeable alkaline iron electrodes
 
Performance characterization of sintered iron electrodes in nickel/iron alkaline batteries
 
Role of activation on the performance of the iron negative electrode in nickel/iron cells
 
Rechargeable alkaline iron electrodes
 
Iron/carbon-black composite nanoparticles as an iron electrode material in a paste type
rechargeable alkaline battery
 
Research, development and demonstration of a nickel—iron battery for electric vehicle propulsion  there are several papers with this term
 
The role of FeS and (NH4)2CO3 additives on the pressed type Fe electrode
 
There are some less important ones on the research page.
 
==Future Prototypes==
It looks as though using a high surface area electrode made from nickel or another conductive material which is acceptable from a chemistry standpoint, then causing the oxyhydroxide to deposit on it electrochemically could be done. But there are a great many ways to make the electrodes, and some may be more suitable.  A great number of patents are available with what look like better options. See the research page for links.
 
Note that in electrochemistry the cathode is the electrode to which cations are attracted.  In other words the positive electrode, when when talking about the exterior of the battery could be called the anode. This is due to historical reasons. 
 
All of them include some "plaque" or conductive matrix with fairly high surface area which extends throughout the active material.  Nickel sponge, sintered nickel powder, and nickel fabric cloth like material, have been used.  A polymer binder loaded with graphite or other carbon particles which is then pyrolized can be made, with the pyrolized polymer being the conductive grid. Polymer binders (not pyrolized) filled with conductive particles are often used in modern batteries. The mix is made, then pressed with great force onto a nickle grid or cloth.  The polymer mix material can also be applied to a thin textured sheet of metal.
 
Fine flakes ("flitts") or fibers of nickel metal can be mixed with active material, pressed into a block, and heated to melt or diffusion bond the flakes/fibers together, producing a conductive matrix surrounded by active (powdered) oxyhydroxide.
 
Nickel wool or other low density fibrous masses of conductive material which are chemically acceptable might do as well.  It is stated in patents that nickel plated steel wool works well.  In this case the active material has to be applied in a paste or though more complex means like electrodeposition, in which the active material is precipitated by electrolysis in the electrode volume.
 
The so called pocket electrode is still used in modern batteries and is relatively easy; conductive powder or fibers are mixed with the active material and pressed into "pockets" formed from perforated metal sheets.
 
For the iron electrode high surface area solid iron electrode may be used plain or with small amounts of something to provide sulfide ions like magnesium sulfide, iron sulfide or ever elemental sulfur, to cause activation of the electrode (removal of the iron oxide layer as the sulfur is more electronegative than the iron).  More reading of the references on the research page is needed to determine if plain powder will do.  The appropriate surface area of both electrodes which will give a reasonably low internal resistance needs to be calculated or tested.
 
In the case of loose powder the conductivity between powder particles due to physical contact and the electrolyte needs to be determined.  It may be sufficient but I don't think so.
 
In at least one of the Edison batteries he chose to use mercury to increase the conductivity between particles but that may have been a battery intended for Starting and lighting (SLI) in cars, which requires a very low internal resistance as discharge rates can exceed 20C during starting.  We need no more than 1C or at most 2C (lithium ion are 2C or so usually) for general use and short term load leveling, and 0.1 may do (just) for solar power system energy storage.  If we did need high currents sintered electrodes would be more sensible.  Commercial batteries like the Changhong batteries intended for solar use are rated for 0.2 C but they make batteries capable of 10C for starting locomotives too.  The C ratings are only guidelines however and can be exceeded greatly at cost of efficiency and energy that can be used - 6 C produces a capacity of 65% rated capacity for the battery in the sealed battery testing doc.
 
It needs to be determined how the changing shape of the electrode goes. Over time the electrode shape could change in undesirable ways, reducing surface area and increasing the battery's internal resistance to an excessive value.
 
This is one of the reasons deep discharging of lead acid is a problem.  Although there are many different types of lead acid battery there is usually alloy of antimony and lead used to form the electrode scaffold for one or both electrodes, which reacts more slowly than the lead that is supposed to cover it.  But if discharged too deeply the scaffold will react too, and it cannot be reformed in the shape it was, rendering the battery damaged.  Similarly during recharge some battery types form dendrites from one electrode to another - thin shafts of metal.  As the finger of metal protrudes towards the opposing electrode the resistance between the tip of the finger and the opposing electrode gets lower, resulting in a higher current at the tip of the dendrite, causing metal to be preferentially deposited at the tip of it, lengthening it until it touches the opposite electrode, shorting the battery.  Clearly over many charge/discharge cycles the cumulative effects that result from the relative effect size of these processes can cause substantial changes in electrode shape if they are not understood and accounted for.
 
At a smaller scale the electric field at a surface is higher if the radius of curvature is higher. This can result in either the sharpest parts of an electrode having slightly higher current densities than the rest resulting in higher reaction rates there and smoothing of the electrode (an effect leveraged in electropolishing).  Or in reverse surface roughening, which is known in electroplating.  Clearly more information is needed on these processes relating to this specific chemistry, and they need to be factored in to electrode design.
 
In patents it appears to be universally assumed that for both electrodes, if they have a high surface area at manufacture they continue to have a high surface area thereafter so this may not be a problem.
 
==Related pages==
http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Batteries
http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Nickel-Iron_Battery/Research

Latest revision as of 20:18, 18 May 2024


Nickel-Iron Battery
   Home  |  Research & Development  |  Bill of Materials  |  Manufacturing Instructions  |  User's Manual  |  User Reviews    Nickel-Iron Battery.png

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.

Links


The Global Village Construction Set
Habitat CEB Press Cement Mixer Sawmill Bulldozer Backhoe
Agriculture Tractor Seeder Hay Rake Well-Drilling Rig
Microtractor Soil Pulverizer Spader Hay Cutter Trencher
Bakery Oven Dairy Milker Microcombine Baler
Industry Multimachine Ironworker Laser Cutter Welder Plasma Cutter
CNC Torch Table Metal Roller Rod and Wire Mill Press Forge Universal Rotor
3D Printer 3D Scanner CNC Circuit Mill Industrial Robot Chipper Hammermill
Drill Press Induction Furnace
Energy Power Cube Gasifier Burner Solar Concentrator Electric Motor Generator Hydraulic Motor
Steam Engine Heat Exchanger Wind Turbine Pelletizer Universal Power Supply
Nickel-Iron Battery
Materials Aluminum Extractor Bioplastic Extruder
Transportation Car Truck

Imprimante 3D Scanner 3D Extracteur d'Aluminum Pelleteuse Four à Pain Presse à balles de paille Extrudeuse à bioplastiques Bulldozer Voiture Presse BTC Betonnière Broyeur à marteaux Imprimante de circuits électroniques Table de découpe numérique Trayeuse Perçeuse à colonne Moteur électrique Gazogène Faucheuse Râteau à foin Moteur hydraulique Fourneau à induction Bras robotisé Poinçonneuse Découpeur Laser Laminoir à plaques Microcombine Microtracteur Multimachine Batterie Ni-Fe Machine à granulés Torche plasma Power Cube Presse hydraulique Laminoir à barres et fils de fer Pulvérisateur de terre Scierie Semoir Concentrateur solaire Roto-bêche Moteur à vapeur Echangeur de chaleur Tracteur Fraiseuse de tranchée Camion Alimentation électrique universelle Rotor universel Poste de soudure à l'arc Plateforme de forage de puits Eolienne

Key Design Planning Prototype Almost done Full Release
  1. ↑ https://www.terravolt.net/iron-edison
Retrieved from "https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/index.php?title=Nickel-Iron_Battery&oldid=296705"