Yardney Technical Products Inc. (Pawcatuck, CT) has been selected by Northrop-Grumman Air Combat Systems (Palmdale, CA) to develop, qualify and deliver high-performance, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, battery management circuits and battery chargers to meet the requirements of the B-2 bomber.
A key element in the selection of Yardney's technology was the extent of Yardney's efforts to develop the high-rate and low-temperature capabilities of the system. Over the last year, the company has increased the continuous discharge capability of cells from the 5C rate to more than the 20C rate. Even at this discharge rate, the cells were able to provide more than 63 percent of initial capacity at a voltage of more than 3V. A pulse capability of as high as the 75C rate at voltages above 2V per cell was also demonstrated. Yardney also showed that these cells can be effectively discharged at temperatures as low as -40 degrees C.
Vince Yevoli, Yardney's vice president of marketing, commented, "These new capabilities for our lithium-ion cells mean that the batteries can be employed for space-based power tools, planetary orbiters and rovers, earth satellites, astronaut life-support systems, high-powered Army man-pack applications, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, torpedo targets, and the like. In fact, it could open the door for such terrestrial commercial applications as electric vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, portable power tools and any other application requiring small, light-weight batteries capable of high rates, thousands of cycles and low-temperature operation."
