By Lisa Gordon | October 21, 2013 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 32 seconds.
True Blue Power, a division of Mid-Continent Instrument Co., Inc., is releasing two advanced lithium-ion battery packs targeted at the business and general aviation marketplace. The company unveiled details about the new products at a press conference this morning at the NBAA show in Last Vegas, Nev.
Todd Winter, company president and CEO, said the main attraction of the TB17 and TB44 batteries is that they weigh significantly less than competing lead-acid or nickel-cadmium battery packs.
The TB17 advanced lithium-ion battery weighs 16 pounds, offering a 45 per cent weight savings compared to older, lead-acid and nickel-cadmium alternatives. It is designed primarily for piston and turbine aircraft. The larger TB44 advanced lithium-ion battery weighs 53 pounds, offering a 40 per cent weight savings. It is ideal for the turbine market, including fixed-wing and rotorcraft applications. The TB44 is expected to be standard equipment on soon-to-be-announced production aircraft.
Winter said the new battery packs will cost significantly more than other alternatives on the market, but the payoff will be realized over time through the application of nanophosphate lithium-ion chemistry, which is said to deliver unmatched power, energy, safety and life – all in a lighter package. “We’re focusing on the OEMs,” he added at the press conference. “The benefits with these lighter packs are obvious to aircraft designers.”
When asked how these products differ from those that caused recent problems on board Boeing 787 Dreamliners, engineering director Brett Williams said there are size, chemistry and architectural differences that make the nanophoshate lithium-ion batteries more chemically stable, resulting in safer operations even in the rare event of battery over-temperature or over-voltage.
True Blue Power will be offering a series of “Lithium Batteries 101” education sessions which are designed to promote a better understanding of the safety and application of lithium-ion battery technology in aviation. Twelve sessions are currently being planned in conjunction with various upcoming industry gatherings.
