NEED AND EFFECT OF RECONDITIONING OF NICKEL HYDROGEN BATTERIES/

There has been a debate about the need for reconditioning nickel/hydro gen batteries in geosynchronous satellites. A study was done as part o f life cycling, to determine the necessity of reconditioning and its e ffect on the cell performance. A 36 Ah nickel/hydrogen cell was put on a GEO simulated cycling at 15 degrees C without reconditioning up to four eclipse seasons. The effect of reconditioning on the fifth and si xth eclipse seasons was studied. The study has conclusively proven the need for reconditioning and has shown the benefits of a high rate rec onditioning. It has also been possible to draw some conclusions about the effect of a long duration trickle charge on the positive electrode .