Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Process of cell operation – Electrolyte circulation
Patent
1994-08-23
1996-08-06
Maples, John S.
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Process of cell operation
Electrolyte circulation
429 71, 429 75, 429 81, 429 83, 429 95, H01M 238, H01M 236
Patent
active
055432433
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the construction of a flooded electrolyte storage battery that facilitates the replenishment, circulation, and conditioning of the battery electrolyte and also relates to a process for charging such batteries.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although there has been considerable effort spent investigating alternative electrochemical systems, the flooded electrolyte lead-acid battery is still the battery of choice for general purposes such as starting a vehicle, boat or airplane engine, emergency lighting, electric vehicle motive power, energy buffer storage for solar-electric energy, and field hardware, both industrial and military. These batteries may be periodically charged from a generator or other source of suitable DC power.
Historically, the electric power for such applications has been provided by conventional lead-acid batteries. The conventional lead-acid battery is a multi-cell structure, each cell generally comprising a set of vertical interdigitated monopolar positive and negative plates formed of lead or lead-alloy grids containing layers of electrochemically active pastes or active materials. The paste on the positive electrode plate when charged comprises lead dioxide (PbO2), which is the positive active material, and the negative plate contains a negative active material such as sponge lead. An acid electrolyte based on sulfuric acid is interposed between the positive and negative plates. The acid electrolyte, in effect, is a third active material in each cell of a lead acid battery and it, like the lead oxide anodic active material and the sponge lead cathodic active material, is reversibly changed during discharge of such a battery.
Bipolar batteries have recently gained attention and may serve to replace the use of the conventional battery in such applications due to their inherently decreased size and weight. Bipolar battery construction comprises a series of electrode plates that each contain a negative active material on one side and a positive active material on the other side, hence the terms "bipolar" and "biplate". The biplates are serially arranged in such a fashion that the positive side of one plate is directed toward the negative side of an adjacent plate. The bipolar battery is made up of separate electrolytic cells that are defined by biplate surfaces of opposing polarities. The biplates must be impervious to electrolyte and be electrically conductive to provide a serial electrical connection between cells.
Both conventional and bipolar lead acid batteries are characterized by a series of electrolytic cells. During the charging of these batteries, as well as through normal discharge, the water component of the electrolyte contained in each electrolytic cell is converted by electrolysis to form hydrogen gas and oxygen. The construction of some forms of these batteries permits the release of these gases by venting them to the atmosphere. Other forms of these batteries are valve regulated and are constructed so as to facilitate both the recombination of the oxygen gas and its reintroduction into the electrolyte solution. The electrolysis of the electrolyte during the charging of a vented battery produce a loss in the water constituent of the acid electrolyte, thereby causing the concentration of that acid and its specific gravity to increase and the liquid level to drop. Ideally, the concentration and specific gravity of a fully-charged flooded electrolyte lead-acid battery should be within a relatively narrow range of values for which the battery has been designed. An acid electrolyte of too-low concentration produces a decrease in battery performance, while an acid electrolyte of too-high concentration decreases the useful life of the battery and also reduces battery discharge performance. Therefore, in batteries where water loss can occur, it is necessary to periodically add water to the electrolyte to replenish the volume of electrolyte in the battery and to bring the specific gravity of the electrolyte into the design range f
REFERENCES:
patent: 1112861 (1914-10-01), Snyder
patent: 1471048 (1923-10-01), Menger
patent: 4105829 (1978-08-01), Venero
patent: 4377445 (1983-03-01), Grimes
patent: 5340667 (1994-08-01), Stinson et al.
Maples John S.
Trojan Battery Company
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