BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGING

Major PALN Pinnawala USP psc

SLSC
BSc (DS) Electronic & Electrical Engineering 
Msc in Defence & Strategic Studies 
PG in Electronic & Telecommunication Engineering
Dip in Wire Communication Eng (CHINA)
BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGING
 BATTERY
• Convert stored chemical energy into
electrical energy
• Reaction between chemicals take
place
• Consisting of electrochemical cells
• Contains
– Electrodes
– Electrolyte
TWO CLASSES OF BATTERIES

• PRIMARY CELLS

• SECONDARY CELLS
Primary Cell

• One use
(non-rechargeable/disposable)
• Chemical reaction used, can
not be reversed
• Used when long periods of
storage are required
• Lower discharge rate than
secondary batteries 
• Use:
smoke detectors, flashlights, remote
controls

5
Secondary Cells
• Rechargeable batteries
• Reaction can be readily
reversed
• Similar to primary cells except
redox reaction can be
reversed
• Recharging:
– Electrodes undergo the
opposite process than
discharging
– Cathode is oxidized and
produces electrons
– Electrons absorbed by
anode
Battery Capacity
• The guaranteed energy that battery can deliver to the
load conditions until the End of Discharge voltage is
reached.
• Normally represented in mAh or Ah

“C” Rating of a Battery

• The current it need to fully charge within one hour
without loss (the actual capacity).
• 7Ah battery has a c rate of 7A
• A 1C rate means that the discharge current will
discharge the entire battery in 1 hour.
Battery Cycle Life
• The number of full charge and deep discharges
(under manufacturers recommended condition) a battery
can withstand without degrading the rated capacity.

Self Discharge Rate

• The discharging of a battery due to it’s internal leakages
and in some battery packs due to the current drawn for the
internal management electronics.

• Generally expressed as a percentage per Month at room

temperature. (3%/ Month)
Depth of Discharge
• The amount of energy removed from the battery. This is given as
percentage of nominal capacity vs removed (discharge) capacity.

• example, if a 100 A h battery is discharged for 20 minutes at a

current of 50 A, the depth of discharge is 50 * 20 / 60 / 100 = 16.7 %.

Charge Acceptance
• The willingness of a cell to accept the charge. This depend on the
temperature, remaining charge, type of cell, charging current, ect.
•In some occasions represented as pumped energy vs stored energy.
Charge Acceptance
Over Charge
• Over charge is continues charging of battery after
recharging the full charge state. When the chemistry has
absorbed the energy and converted to charge state, The extra
energy pumped in will generate heat and unwanted gases
within the battery, which will result un predictable catastrophic
result.
COMPOSITION OF A BATTERY
• The Lead Acid battery is made up of separator
plates, lead plates, and lead oxide plates.

• with a 35% sulphuric acid and 65% water solution.

This solution is called electrolyte which causes a chemical
reaction that produce electrons.

• When a battery discharges the electrolyte dilutes

and the sulphur deposits on the lead plates.

• When the battery is recharged the process reverses

and the sulphur dissolves into the electrolyte.
BATTERY CROSS SECTION
TYPES OF RECHARGABLE LEAD ACID BATTERIES

STARTING/CRANKING BATTERIES
• A cranking battery allows a car to start by sending power
to the engine when the ignition switch is activated. For this
reason these batteries are also known as starter batteries.
To start a motor, short and strong bursts of energy must be
sent from the battery

•Many thin plates

•Large amount of Current Delivery Over Short Time
•Damage Caused If Deeply Discharged
STARTING/CRANKING BATTERIES
TYPES OF RECHARGABLE LEAD ACID BATTERIES

DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES

• A deep-cycle battery is a battery designed to be regularly
deeply discharged using most of its capacity

• FEWER THICKER PLATES

• LOWER CURRENT DELIVERY OVER LONG PERIODS
• CAN BE DISCHARGED BY 50% WITHOUT DAMAGE
• CAN BE CYCLED MANY TIMES
DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES
 TYPES OF RECHARGABLE LEAD
ACID BATTERIES

DUAL PURPOSE BATTERIES

•Dual purpose marine batteries are batteries that have
thick plates inside of them. This means that they contain
more antimony than your regular starting batteries

•COMPROMISE BETWEEN MANY THIN PLATES AND

FEWER THICK PLATES
•CAN BE DISCHARGED BY 50%
•FEWER CYCLES THAN DEEP CYCLE BATTERY
DUAL PURPOSE BATTERIES
 TECHNOLOGIES

Flooded

Sometimes called “flooded” or “free-vented”

A wet or flooded cell battery operates by means of a
liquid electrolyte solution (battery acid) covering all internal
parts. Wet-cell batteries produce gas when overcharging. This
gas must be able to escape which is why some refer to this
type of battery as vented cell battery.
Flooded
 TECHNOLOGIES

Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

– Also called Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA)

 
An AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery contains a
special glass mat separator that wicks the electrolyte solution
between the battery plates. This material's design enables
the fiberglass to be saturated with electrolyte – and to store
the electrolyte in a “dry” or suspended state rather than in free
liquid form

AGM batteries contain only enough liquid to keep the mat

wet with the electrolyte and if the battery is broken no free liquid is
available to leak out.
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
 TECHNOLOGIES

• Gelled Electrolyte (Gel)

– Also called Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA)

The technology used in making gel cells is similar to AGM

batteries. However, instead of utilizing the Absorbent Glass
Material that AGM batteries use, gel batteries make use of
gelled electrolytes. ... This technology only uses a small amount
of solidified electrolyte to keep the acid immobile

• is completely maintenance-free.
• uses thixotropic gelled electrolyte
Gelled Electrolyte (Gel)
STATE OF CHARGE
Basic Charging Methods

• Constant Voltage Cheap battery chargers

• Constant Current Switches off at voltage set-point
• Taper Current Unregulated constant voltage
• Pulsed charge Voltage PWM, on/rest/on
• Negative Pulse Charge Short discharge pulse
• IUI Charging Constant I, constant V, equalize
• IUO Charging Constant I, constant V, float
• Trickle charge Compensate for self discharge
• Float charge Constant voltage below gassing V
• Random charging Solar panel, KERS
Basic Charging Methods

Constant Voltage

A constant voltage charger is basically a DC power supply which in its

simplest form may consist of a step down transformer from the mains
with a rectifier to provide the DC voltage to charge the battery.

Such simple designs are often found in cheap car battery chargers. The
lead-acid cells used for cars and backup power systems typically use
constant voltage chargers.

In addition, lithium-ion cells often use constant voltage systems,

although these usually are more complex with added circuitry to protect
both the batteries
Basic Charging Methods

Constant Current

Constant current chargers vary the voltage they apply

to the battery to maintain a constant current flow,
switching off when the voltage reaches the level of a
full charge. This design is usually used for nickel-
cadmium and nickel-metal hydride cells or batteries.
Basic Charging Methods

Taper Current Unregulated constant voltage

Pulsed charge Voltage PWM, on/rest/on
Negative Pulse Charge Short discharge pulse
IUI Charging Constant I, constant V, equalize
IUO Charging Constant I, constant V, float
Trickle charge Compensate for self discharge
Float charge Constant voltage below gassing
V
Random charging Solar panel, KERS
 Learn how to optimize charging conditions to
extend service life.
• The lead acid battery uses the constant current constant
voltage (CC/CV) charge method.

• A regulated current raises the terminal voltage until the

upper charge voltage limit is reached, at which point the
current drops due to saturation.

• The charge time is 12–16 hours and up to 36–48 hours for

large stationary batteries. With higher charge currents and
multi-stage charge methods, the charge time can be
reduced to 8–10 hours;
Learn how to optimize charging conditions to
extend service life.
• Lead acid batteries should be charged in three stages,
which are
[1] constant-current charge
[2] topping charge
[3] float charge.

• The constant-current charge applies the bulk of the charge

and takes up roughly half of the required charge time;

• The topping charge continues at a lower charge current

and provides saturation

• The float charge compensates for the loss caused by self-

discharge.
LEARN HOW TO OPTIMIZE CHARGING
CONDITIONS TO EXTEND SERVICE LIFE
• During the constant-current charge, the battery charges to
about 70 percent in 5–8 hours;

• The remaining 30 percent is filled with the slower topping

charge that lasts another 7–10 hours.

• The topping charge is essential for the well-being of the

battery and can be compared to a little rest after a good
meal.

• If continually deprived, the battery will eventually lose the

ability to accept a full charge and the performance will
decrease due to sulfating.

• The float charge in the third stage maintains the battery at

full charge.
CHARGING VOLTAGES

Flooded Gel AGM

• Charging voltage @ 20º C

• Bulk - 14.4 to 14.8 14.2 to 14.4 14.4 to 14.8

• Acceptance - 14.2 to 14.4 14.00 to 14.2 14.2 to 14.4

• Float - 13.2 to 13.6 13.5 to 13.8 13.2 to 13.5

• Equalization - 15.0 to 16.0 Do NOT Equalize Do NOT
Equalize
SULPHATION

• Sulphation is the chemical reaction between the sulphuric

acid and the lead plates within a battery. When a battery
discharges 'sulphate' crystals form on the plates, which
reduces the capacity of a battery. This occurs as soon as a
battery is discharged

• Sulphation of Batteries starts when specific gravity

falls below 1.225 or voltage measures less than 12.4 (12v
Battery). Sulphation hardens the battery plates reducing and
eventually destroying the ability of the battery to generate
Volts and Amps. The battery develops a high electrical
resistance.
 WHAT NOT TO DO WITH BATTERIES

The following is detrimental to the life span of a battery:

• Incorrect charge voltage.

• Too low a voltage means that the battery does not charge to 100% - the
sulphate then hardens on the plates and the battery loses some of it capacity.
Excessive voltage causes the batteries to generate excessive gas leading to
water los and drying out.

• Excessive discharging.

• Discharging a battery further than its capacity greatly shortens its life span

• Too many cycles, high charge voltage, excessive discharging and significant
voltage ripple in the charge voltage caused by cheap chargers and alternators.

• Charging without 3 step regulation and very high electrolyte temperatures.

WHAT TO DO WITH BATTERIES

The following is detrimental to the life span of a

battery:
• Battery should be discharge to maximum permissible depth every
three months.

• Recharge the battery to full immediate after the discharge

• Maintain a record on each and every battery bank for remaining

capacity

• When 80% mark recharged / replace the battery in critical system

 BATTERY TERMINOLOGY

• VRLAB Flooded Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries

• GEL Gelled Electrolyte Lead Acid Battery
• AGM Advanced Glass Mat Battery
• CCA Cold Cranking Amps -18°C terminal V ≥7.2V for 30 sec.
• CA Cranking Amps 0°C terminal V ≥7.2V for 30 sec.
• RC Reserve Capacity 25°C terminal V ≥ 10.5V 25A Load =
time
• AH 100Ah = 20 hrs @ 5A load terminal V ≥ 10.5V
 LEAD-ACID BATTERY
• Advantages:
– Batteries of all shapes and sizes, available in
– Maintenance-free products and mass-produced
– Best value for power and energy per kilowatt-hour
– Have the longest life cycle and a large environmental advantage
– Ninety-seven percent of the lead is recycled and reused in new batteries

• Disadvantages:
– Lead is heavier compared to alternative elements
– Certain efficiencies in current conductors and other advances continue to
improve on the power density of a lead-acid battery's design
 LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
• Advantages: 
– It has a high specific energy (number of hours of operation for a
given weight)
– Huge success for mobile applications such as phones and
notebook computers
• Disadvantages:
– Cost differential
• Not as apparent with small batteries (phones and computers)
• Automotive batteries are larger, cost becomes more significant
– Cell temperature is monitored to prevent temperature extremes
– No established system for recycling large lithium-ion batteries
 NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERY
• Advantages:
– This chemistry is reliable
– Operate in a range of temperatures
– Tolerates abuse well and performs well after long
periods of storage

• Disadvantages:
– It is three to five times more expensive than lead-acid
– Its materials are toxic and the recycling infrastructure for
larger nickel-cadmium batteries is very limited