Li-ion battery and super-capacitor Hybrid energy

system for low temperature SmallSat applications

K.B. Chin*, M.C. Smart, E.J. Brandon, G.S. Bolotin, N.K. Palmer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109
*keith.b.chin@jpl.nasa.gov

S. Katz, J.A. Flynn

California State University, Northridge
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Northridge, CA 91330-8346

2014 SmallSat Conference

Logan, UT

Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

 Outline
• NASA/JPL Future SmallSat Programs
• CSUNSat1 Design
• Design milestones, challenges, and operational
overview
• Payload Design at JPL
• Ground Testing Program at JPL
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusion and Future Work.
 NASA’s Future SmallSat Programs

Beyond LEO orbits will require lower temperature &

higher power capabilities in energy storage.
CSUNSat1: A CSUN/JPL Collaboration
• Funded by NASA’s Small Spacecraft
Technology Program
• Time frame: 11/1/2013 – 9/27/2015

JPL Energy Storage Payload

CSUN: Spacecraft 2U CubeSat

• Processor
• Communications
• Power System
 Design Challenge: Cold
Environment
• Problem
Energy storage system requires operational
temperatures below -10°C.
• Solution
Divide shunt regulator into two boards so that heat is
dissipated into space.
Hot Shunt Regulator Board
Keep majority
of heat Cold Shunt Regulator Board
dissipation
away from Payload
payload
 Final CubeSat Design

Communications Power System Processor Power System

9.6Kbps transceiver Provides 3.3, dsPIC33 Hot SRB
CW Beacon 5, 12V No RTOS
Antenna Switch Exp. control Command Dict.
Concept of Operations: Overview
Storage Launch

Spacecraft Checkout

Payload Checkout: 1 charge/discharge cycle

Primary Experiment
Nominal Temp Intermed. Temp Cold Temp
Battery, SuperCap, and Hybrid Characterization

Extended Mission
Payload functions as energy storage for CubeSat
Energy Storage Payload Overview
Payload Components:
Payload
1. Battery cell
2. Super-capacitors
3. Payload electronics

CSUNSat1

Payload Physical Parameters Value

Total Mass (gm) 499.0
Width (cm) 9.0
Length (cm) 9.6
Thickness (cm) 4.7
Total Volume (cm3) 483.8
 JPL Ground Qualification Testing
Overview
• Performance capabilities down to -40oC.
1. Baseline Battery Testing.
2. Low Temperature Battery Cell Testing.
3. Super-capacitor Cell Testing.
4. Mockup Hybrid Testing.
 Energy Storage Test Labs at JPL

JPL Battery Test Laboratory

Baseline Battery
Li-Ion Cell

Mockup Hybrid
Super-capacitors
Baseline Battery Results

• Sharp decrease in usable capacity below -15oC.

• Less than 20% capacity retention at -30oC.
 Low Temperature Li-ion Cell
Results

Greater than 2x
capacity in 26650-
size cell (70 gm).

Greater than 70% of

maximum capacity
retention at 40oC.

Reference: M. C. Smart, B. V. Ratnakumar, K. B. Chin, L. D. Whitcanack, and S. Surampudi,

“Performance Characteristics of Lithium-Ion Technology Under Extreme Environmental
Conditions,” 1st International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, IECEC, Portsmouth, VA,
Aug. 17–21 2003.
Super-capacitor Cell Test Results

Super-capacitors greater than 100F will support

worst-case 15A pulse loads down to -40oC.
 Hybrid Test Results

• Excellent capacity retention at - • Substantial power improvements at low

40oC. temperatures down to -40oC.
• Poor energy enhancement (<10%). • About 2.0 ΔV at 15A pulse when compared
against low temperature Li-ion cell.
Ohmic Impedances Summary

• The Hybrid exhibited lowest ohmic resistances (< 5

mOhms) down to -40oC.
• Proposed flight hydrid design exceeded expectation!
On-Going Hybrid Life Testing

No appreciable degradation observed after more than

100 cycles (99.2% max capacity after about 150 cycles).
 Conclusions
• JPL Hybrid energy storage system exhibited
excellent energy storage (>2x) and power (8C-
rate) capabilities down to -40oC.
Capacity retention >70%.
Capacity retention for baseline battery < 20%.
Supports >15A pulse current at down to -40oC.
• Future work
Integrate payload to CSUNSat1.
Conduct experiments in the space environment.
Launch in 2015 (??).
 Acknowledgement
The work described here was carried out at
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California
Institute of Technology, under contract with
the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and supported by the
NASA STMD 2013 SmallSat Technology
Partnerships Cooperative Agreement Notice.
Backup slides
Baseline 10 Ahr CubeSat Battery

Physical
Value
Parameters
Total Mass (gm) 125.0
Width (cm) 9.0
Length (cm) 9.5
Thickness (cm) 2.0
 CSUNSat1/Payload Power
electronics

Block Diagram of CSUNSat1 Interface with JPL JPL Payload Electronics

Payload electronics. Prototype.