NDBC Li-Ion Battery Request for Information FY25.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 25-1789
About this file
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) seeking vendors to design and produce a custom lithium-ion secondary battery pack for oceanic and meteorological monitoring buoys. NDBC requires a 12V 120Ah battery pack using 18650 lithium cells, with specific mechanical and electrical requirements including an IP68-rated aluminum enclosure, RF-transparent lid, four solar charging and four power output connectors, and a Battery Management System (BMS) with cell balancing capabilities. The battery must operate in temperatures from -20 to 50°C, meet UN 38.3 transportation testing standards, and include a Smart Module for communication and monitoring.
Interested vendors are asked to provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for engineering, manufacturing, and testing, demonstrate experience in lithium-ion battery pack design and safety protocols, and complete an optional feedback form to help NDBC improve future design requirements. NDBC operates 231 buoys and coastal stations and anticipates procuring 10-20 battery packs annually. For custom designs, NDBC expects to own all aspects of the design, including hardware, firmware, source code, and documentation, with the option for competitive manufacturing bidding. Vendors must also verify that battery cell manufacturers do not source materials from regions involved in slave labor or human trafficking.
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NDBC Lithium-Ion Secondary Battery Pack Request for Information
Purpose The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), under the National Weather Service (NWS) and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides real-time, oceanographic and meteorological observations used by federal, state, academic, and private stakeholders.
NDBC is searching for either a vendor to design, develop, and produce a secondary battery pack, or a commercially available product that meets NDBC’s current requirements. NDBC operates 231 buoys and coastal stations (see ndbc.noaa.gov for more information) and anticipates to procure 10 to 20 battery packs annually. For the purpose of this document, the term “battery” shall refer to the entire assembled system (cells, enclosure, heater, BMS, solar charge controller, and other hardware).
For custom designed solutions, the vendor shall design, manufacture, and test the new batteries, with NDBC assuming ownership of all aspects of the design, hardware, firmware/source code, theory of operation, testing, and any other drawings and documentation. Please note that this only concerns new component designs and does not include any commercially available components. If the new battery is a custom design, NDBC expects to own all previously mentioned aspects of the design, with the option of competitive bidding for the manufacturing.
Current Battery Design
Battery Components
● 12 V 120 Ah, using (120) 18650 lithium cells arranged as 3s40p
● Overall 11.5 x 9 x 3.5 anodized aluminum enclosure; G10 removable lid
● Four external power output connectors (MCBH8F - micro circular bulkhead 8-pin female)
● Four external solar charging connectors (MCBH4M - micro circular bulkhead 4-pin male)
● Battery Management System (BMS with internal firmware)
● Smart Module, a NDBC-developed microcontroller
● Dual maximum power point trackers (MPPT solar charge controllers)
● Heating system for charging in extreme cold climates
● Rupture disc for thermal runaway
Theory of Operation
● NDBC’s Smart Module communicates with the BMS via an SMBus (see SBS 1.1), which allows for querying of battery status, configuration, alarms and battery parameter control.
● The Smart Module communicates via XBee radio module to another payload on the same buoy, which transmits battery status to NDBC via satellite; battery commands are relayed in the opposite direction or via the Smart Module’s onboard firmware
● Internal heaters allow the cells to safely charge when external temperatures are at or below freezing http://ndbc.noaa.gov
Design Requirements The proposed battery design shall meet the requirements listed in this section. The vendor may use 18650, 21700, prismatic, or other cell shapes/sizes, but preference will be given to designs which maintain the same form, fit, and function as the current battery. After selecting a battery cell, the vendor shall verify the cell manufacturer(s) does not source from countries or organizations participating in slave labor or human trafficking. Attached to this RFI are partial drawings of the current battery mounting, as well as electrical pinouts for the various connectors.
Table 1 - Mechanical Requirements
Max. Battery Enclosure Dimensions 15 x 9.75 x 3.8 in. (L x W x H)
Battery Enclosure Material Not specified; provide corrosion resistance for all connectors and hardware as necessary
Enclosure Lid with Gasket Seal Must be RF-transparent
Enclosure Rating IP68
Pressure Relief Mechanism Set to relieve internal pressure if the cells go into thermal runaway
Notes See PDF attachment for current dimensions and mounting
Table 2 - Electrical Requirements
Nominal Battery Output Voltage 10.8 - 12.8VDC
Minimum Battery Capacity 100Ah
Maximum Battery Voltage 12.45 - 14.6VDC
Minimum Battery Voltage 9.6 - 10.0VDC
Continuous Charge Current > 10A
Continuous Discharge Current > 5A
Ambient Operating Temperature -20 to 50℃
Solar MPPT(s) Can be vendor’s design or commercial off-the-shelf
Solar Power Charging Ports Four (4) MCBH4M bulkhead connectors
Power Output Ports Four (4) MCBH8F bulkhead connectors
User Manual Software description and theory of operation with charge, discharge, and battery heater logic diagrams and/or tables
Notes See attachment for pin descriptions
BMS Requirements Refer to SBS 1.1 for guidance on required BMS communication, parameters and commands. In addition to the SBS 1.1 specifications, NDBC also requires that the BMS has cell balancing.
Debugging Requirements NDBC requires a method of debugging the Smart Module and BMS, via RS232, without voiding the warranty of the battery. This may involve an external connector or some compartmentalization of the Smart Module to separate it from the battery’s other internal components. Additionally, NDBC also requires a method of externally resetting the BMS.
Testing Requirements The vendor shall meet requirements specified by UN 38.3, T1-T8, with the testing to be conducted by the vendor.
RFI Deliverables Interested vendors are asked to provide the following:
● ROM in US dollars for the engineering, manufacturing, and functional testing of the battery
● ROM for delivery of above services
● Experience in the design and fabrication of lithium-ion battery packs
● Experience in lithium-ion battery safety and transportation protocols
Interested vendors are also asked to complete the attached feedback form, which is optional and is intended to help NDBC improve design requirements, manufacturability, and cost, in addition to streamlining the RFI process in the future.
NDBC Lithium-Ion Secondary Battery Pack RFI Feedback Form
Name:
Company:
Position:
Address 1:
Address 2:
Phone Number:
Question Response
Which requirements are you able to meet?
Are there any requirements that are burdensome to you as a manufacturer? Are there any changes you can recommend?
Are there any changes to the requirements that could improve cost and manufacturability? Please specify.
What additional information can NDBC provide to help you evaluate your interest in bidding in the future?
What can NDBC do to improve the RFI process?
Other comments:
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