SAGE
Thermal Battery
Thermal batteries are the ideal energy source to supply the instant and high levels of electrical power requirement of advanced systems. They are widely used as primary power sources in various military and aerospace applications, due to their reliable, maintenance-free and durable structure, as well as their capability of meeting long shelf life requirements. They are for single use (non-rechargeable) and custom designed according to the system’s specifications.
Having more than 16 years of experience; to date TÜBİTAK SAGE has designed and manufactured many different thermal battery types qualified with respect to globally accepted military standards.
Besides being the main supplier of Turkish defense companies, TÜBİTAK SAGE has many worldwide customers with a continuously growing export market.
Design
Special softwares developed in-house by TUBITAK SAGE are being utilized in the design of thermal batteries. Through processing by these custom softwares, thermal battery performance is simulated virtually and the design parameters meeting battery requirements are determined.
Alternative design configurations are analyzed using several engineering tools in order to verify that the design meets customer requirements and the results are validated by feasibility tests.
Outcomes of the software are verified experimentally before completing the design process. Within this scope, actual performance of each component is examined under equivalent operating temperature and pressure conditions of thermal batteries via unique test systems devised by our qualified researchers. As a result of modelling, simulation and test efforts, optimum thermal battery design is determined with respect to power, geometry, weight, structure, function, thermal efficiency and safety.
Various thermal battery solutions for divergent applications are developed accurately and promptly by means of the capabilities provided by custom designed software and test systems.
Thermal Battery Capabilities
Main Applications of Thermal Batteries
Thermal batteries are widely used as primary power sources in:
Missiles
Guidance Kits
Acoustic jammers/emulators
Fuzes
Guided artillery shells
Aircraft ejection seat systems
Advantages of Thermal Batteries
Long shelf life
> 20 years
Maintenance free
Short activation time
< 500 ms
Alternative activation methods
Electrical igniter, percussion cap, inertial igniter
No self-discharge
High power density
Simultaneous multiple power supply capacity
Wide operating temperature range
-54˚C / +71˚C
Durability to extreme environmental conditions
Thermal batteries are durable to high levels of vibration, shock, acceleration, high/low pressure levels, high levels of humidity, etc. During storage and operation
High reliability
> %99.95
Custom designed
Thermal batteries are designed according to requirements of the main system
We Have Strengthened Our Power
To overcome issues such as foreign dependency, special permits, maintaining confidentiality, and high unit costs in the supply of thermal batteries, which are used as the main power source in guided munitions projects conducted with national resources, and to eliminate these issues in future munitions development projects, thermal battery design, production, and testing capabilities have been acquired using entirely domestic resources. The thermal battery technology, possessed by only a few countries in the world, has been made available to the Turkish Defense Industry by TÜBİTAK SAGE.
Production
High-Tech Production
High-tech solutions are employed in each phase of thermal battery production in order to achieve high quality final products.
Custom designed automated production systems provide high production capacity and improved product quality. By employing automated production systems and eliminating human factors in fabrication process, the battery product line reliability is increased.
One of the key processes of production is glass-to-metal sealing, which provides long shelf life and operability to thermal batteries, under wide range of conditions. With the objective of achieving high quality and reliability, TÜBİTAK SAGE has established its own glass-to-metal sealing facility. TÜBİTAK SAGE is capable of producing ITAR-free batteries.
Testing
Verification Tests
Operational and non-operational environmental conditions tests meeting MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-167-1 and AOP-34 standards are carried out at the facilities which have quality standardization.
- Electrical performance test
- Transport vibration
- Operational vibration
- Acceleration
- Electrostatic discharge
- Mechanical shock
- High and low temperature storage, cycle and operation tests
- Temperature shock
- Humidity test
- Electromagnetic environment
- Low pressure (altitude) tests
Quality Control Tests
Throughout the thermal battery production process, from raw material assessment to final product inspection phases, 215 chemical/physical quality control tests are carried out at 43 different check points. Implemented quality control system brings products’ specifications to perfection, besides reduces the production costs. Produced thermal batteries are subjected to non-destructive tests; dimensional measurements, X-Ray imaging and helium leak detection, insulation resistance and polarity tests.
