Avionics News November 2013 - 23

Any thermal runaway of a lithium-ion battery is a dangerous situation, and any in-flight fire is a major threat to the
crew, passengers and aircraft.
Thus, the Dreamliner issues threw into question any use of
lithium-ion technology in aircraft.
And the flying public already was wary of lithium technology after safety issues arose in various electronic devices,
and in shipments of lithium-based batteries and a ban on
shipping lithium-based batteries in aircraft.

exceeding the boiling point of water - 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius - and far from a temperature
that would threaten aluminum airframe structures.
There are some safety experts who believe the 787
Dreamliner's battery fire would have been catastrophic
had the aircraft been aluminum rather than composite.
"We're still in the process of completing the documentation, but we believe this is a compelling advance," Winter said.

Nanophosphate Lithium-ion Cells:
It's all in the Differences
Lithium-based battery technology comes in a variety of
chemistries, some with higher energy density than others.
But with some of those higher-density energy solutions,
the chemistry itself presents some side effects related to
how cells burn. When the lithium metal oxide cells combust, oxygen is a byproduct; as a catalyst for combustion,
the production of oxygen can feed a fire making it hotter -
and consuming more of the cell, producing more oxygen,
producing a hotter flame, feeding a vicious cycle until the
exhaustion of available combustibles.
It's worth noting that metals other than lithium can burn
if raised to temperatures high enough - the basis for oxyacetylene cutting torches, for example. The oxyacetylene's
pure blue flame heats steel to a plasma state just short of
the melting point, and the introduction of pure oxygen literally burns away the steel.
Aluminum also can burn, making a lithium-fed fire in
an aircraft a potential prescription for a tragedy.
"Our technology doesn't work the same way and
doesn't produce the intense heat of an energetic thermal
runaway," Winter said.

The Nanophosphate Difference:
Great Power Density, Inherently Safer
True Blue Power didn't invent the technology; however,
the company recognized its advantages and how it might
serve aviation.
A123 Systems Inc. developed and patented the chemistry
it calls Nanophosphate lithium-ion technology. It's a lithiumiron-based chemistry with an advanced mechanical design,
which contributes to its gains over other lithium-based battery technologies.
The "nano" aspect of the A123 technology is in A123's
proprietary nano-scale particles that make up the cathode of
the battery, while the carbon graphite anode and proprietary
chemistry complement the tiny cathode particles.
These particles are a fraction of the diameter of those used
in other lithium-ion battery designs. The microscopic particles significantly increase the surface area exposed to the
electrolyte, speeding power yield, recharging - and increasing lifespan and stability.
According to Brett Williams, director of engineering for
True Blue Power, the chemistry itself is inherently more
stable than other lithium-ion chemistry formulations.
These traits contribute to reduced maintenance needs -
only periodic capacity checks - and lower life-cycle costs in
the process.
The A123 battery technology also is more fault tolerant,
while the new main-ship batteries offer a number of built-in features designed to increase safety and utility.
True Blue Power's first application of A123's technology
came in the TS835 Emergency Power Supply introduced at the
2009 AEA Convention - the first use of Nanophosphate lithiumion chemistry in aviation.
After clearing RTCA DO-160 environmental testing and DO311 for Lithium Systems qualification, the TS835 became the
first Nanophosphate lithium-ion battery to be both TSO'd under
C179 - in April 2010 - and approved model list supplemental
type certificate approved by the FAA for use in Part 23 aircraft
later that year.
The TS835 battery's initial AML covers 30 aircraft, among

A Graphic Demo: The Nail Penetration Test
Like any battery designed for a particular use, True
Blue Power's Nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries consist
of multiple individual cells of matching power and capacity. One of the many tests these individual cells must
endure is a so-called "nail penetration test." In this test, a
single strapped-down cell is penetrated by a steel nail in a
way that breaches the container and creates multiple shorts
across the layers of anode and cathode.
A more conventional lithium-technology cell similar to
that of the ill-fated Dreamliner battery reacts with extraordinary heat and flame, quickly exceeding 1,200 degrees
Fahrenheit - far past the melting point of aluminum and
closing in on its combustion temperature.
Conversely, the same test applied to a cell using True
Blue Power's chosen technology reacted at a fraction
of the degree of the prior test, with temperatures barely

Continued on page 32

avionics news

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Avionics News November 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News November 2013

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Mid-Continent's New True Blue Power
Member Profile
Counting Beans
Avionics News Through the Years
Aviation Aces
AEAviators
A Conversation With...
Member Profile
The Team Effort Behind TSSA
Audio Panels in the 21st Century
Business Basics
Jeppesen Makes Headlines at AirVenture
What's New
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News November 2013 - Intro
Avionics News November 2013 - Cover1
Avionics News November 2013 - Cover2
Avionics News November 2013 - 1
Avionics News November 2013 - 2
Avionics News November 2013 - 3
Avionics News November 2013 - Point of Communication
Avionics News November 2013 - 5
Avionics News November 2013 - AEA Now
Avionics News November 2013 - 7
Avionics News November 2013 - 8
Avionics News November 2013 - 9
Avionics News November 2013 - 10
Avionics News November 2013 - 11
Avionics News November 2013 - 12
Avionics News November 2013 - 13
Avionics News November 2013 - The View From Washington
Avionics News November 2013 - 15
Avionics News November 2013 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News November 2013 - 17
Avionics News November 2013 - 18
Avionics News November 2013 - 19
Avionics News November 2013 - Mid-Continent's New True Blue Power
Avionics News November 2013 - 21
Avionics News November 2013 - 22
Avionics News November 2013 - 23
Avionics News November 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News November 2013 - 25
Avionics News November 2013 - 26
Avionics News November 2013 - 27
Avionics News November 2013 - Counting Beans
Avionics News November 2013 - 29
Avionics News November 2013 - 30
Avionics News November 2013 - 31
Avionics News November 2013 - 32
Avionics News November 2013 - 33
Avionics News November 2013 - Avionics News Through the Years
Avionics News November 2013 - 35
Avionics News November 2013 - Aviation Aces
Avionics News November 2013 - 37
Avionics News November 2013 - 38
Avionics News November 2013 - 39
Avionics News November 2013 - AEAviators
Avionics News November 2013 - 41
Avionics News November 2013 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News November 2013 - 43
Avionics News November 2013 - Member Profile
Avionics News November 2013 - 45
Avionics News November 2013 - 46
Avionics News November 2013 - 47
Avionics News November 2013 - The Team Effort Behind TSSA
Avionics News November 2013 - 49
Avionics News November 2013 - 50
Avionics News November 2013 - 51
Avionics News November 2013 - 52
Avionics News November 2013 - 53
Avionics News November 2013 - Audio Panels in the 21st Century
Avionics News November 2013 - 55
Avionics News November 2013 - 56
Avionics News November 2013 - 57
Avionics News November 2013 - Business Basics
Avionics News November 2013 - 59
Avionics News November 2013 - 60
Avionics News November 2013 - 61
Avionics News November 2013 - Jeppesen Makes Headlines at AirVenture
Avionics News November 2013 - 63
Avionics News November 2013 - 64
Avionics News November 2013 - 65
Avionics News November 2013 - What's New
Avionics News November 2013 - 67
Avionics News November 2013 - 68
Avionics News November 2013 - 69
Avionics News November 2013 - Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News November 2013 - 71
Avionics News November 2013 - 72
Avionics News November 2013 - Cover3
Avionics News November 2013 - Cover4
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