Ni-Cd block battery Technical manual
Transcript of Ni-Cd block battery Technical manual
May 2011
Ni-Cd block batteryTechnical manual
1. Introduction 3
2. Benefitsoftheblockbattery 4 2.1Completereliability 4 2.2Longcyclelife 4 2.3Exceptionallylonglifetime 4 2.4Lowmaintenance 4 2.5Wideoperatingtemperaturerange 4 2.6Fastrecharge 4 2.7Resistancetomechanicalabuse 4 2.8Highresistancetoelectricalabuse 4 2.9Simpleinstallation 4 2.10Extendedstorage 4 2.11Well-provenpocketplateconstruction 4 2.12Environmentallysafe 4 2.13Lowlife-cyclecost 4
3. Electrochemistryofnickel-cadmiumbatteries5
4. Constructionfeaturesoftheblockbattery6 4.1Plateassembly 7 4.2Separation 8 4.3Electrolyte 8 4.4Terminalpillars 9 4.5Ventingsystem 9 4.6Cellcontainer 9
5. Batterytypesandapplications 10 5.1TypeL 11 5.2TypeM 11 5.3TypeH 11 5.4Choiceoftype 11
6. Operatingfeatures 12 6.1Capacity 12 6.2Cellvoltage 12 6.3Internalresistance 12 6.4Effectoftemperatureonperformance 13 6.5Short-circuitvalues 14 6.6Opencircuitloss 14 6.7Cycling 14 6.8Effectoftemperatureonlifetime 15 6.9Waterconsumptionandgasevolution 16
7. Batterysizingprinciples instationarystandbyapplications 17 7.1Thevoltagewindow 17 7.2Dischargeprofile 17 7.3Temperature 17 7.4Stateofchargeorrechargetime 18 7.5Ageing 18 7.6Floatingeffect 18
8. Batterycharging 19 8.1Charginggeneralities 19 8.2Constantvoltagechargingmethods 19 8.3Chargeacceptance 20 8.4Chargeefficiency 22 8.5Temperatureeffects 22 8.6Commissioning 22
9. Specialoperatingfactors 23 9.1Electricalabuse 23 9.2Mechanicalabuse 23
10.Installationandoperatinginstructions 24 10.1Receivingtheshipment 24 10.2Storage 24 10.3Electrolyte/celloil 25 10.4Installation 25 10.5Commissioning 25 10.6Charginginservice 26 10.7Periodicmaintenance 27 10.8Changingelectrolyte 27
11.Maintenanceofblockbatteriesinservice28 11.1Cleanliness/mechanical 28 11.2Topping-up 28 11.3Capacitycheck 29 11.4Recommendedmaintenanceprocedure29
12.Disposalandrecycling 30
Contents
1.Introduction
Thenickel-cadmiumbatteryisthemostreliablebatterysystemavailableinthemarkettoday.Itsuniquefeaturesenableittobeusedinapplicationsandenvironmentsuntenableforotherwidelyavailablebatterysystems.
Itisnotsurprising,therefore,thatthenickel-cadmiumbatteryhasbecomeanobviousfirstchoiceforuserslookingforareliable,longlife,lowmaintenancesystem.
This manual details the design and operating characteristics of the Saft Nife pocket plate block battery to enable a successful battery system to be achieved. A battery which, while retaining all the advantages arising from nearly 100 years of development of the pocket plate technology, can be so worry free that its only major maintenance requirement is topping-up with water.
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2.1 Complete reliabilityTheblockbatterydoesnotsufferfromthesuddendeathfailureassociatedwiththeleadacidbattery(seesection4.1Plateassembly).
2.2 Long cycle lifeTheblockbatteryhasalongcyclelifeevenwhenthecharge/dischargecycleinvolves100%depthofdischarge(seesection6.7Cycling).
2.3 Exceptionally long lifetimeAlifetimeinexcessoftwentyyearsisachievedbytheSaftNifeblockbatteryinmanyapplications,andatelevatedtemperaturesithasalifetimeunthinkableforotherwidelyavailablebatterytechnologies(seesection6.8Effectoftemperatureonlifetime).
2.4 Low maintenanceWithitsgenerouselectrolytereserve,theblockbatteryreducestheneedfortopping-upwithwater,andcanbeleftinremotesitesforlongperiodswithoutanymaintenance(seesection6.9Waterconsumptionandgasevolution).
2.5 Wide operating temperature rangeTheblockbatteryhasanelectrolytewhichallowsittohaveanormaloperatingtemperatureoffrom–20°Cto+50°C(–4°Fto
+122°F),andacceptextremetemperatures,rangingfromaslowas–50°C(–58°F)toupto+70°C(+158°F)(seesection4.3Electrolyte).
2.6 Fast rechargeTheblockbatterycanberechargedatcurrentswhichallowveryfastrechargetimestobeachieved(seesection8.3Chargeacceptance).
2.7 Resistance to mechanical abuseTheblockbatteryisdesignedtohavethemechanicalstrengthrequiredtowithstandalltheharshtreatmentassociatedwithtransportationoverdifficultterrain(seesection9.2Mechanicalabuse).
2.8 High resistance to electrical abuseTheblockbatterywillsurviveabusewhichwoulddestroyaleadacidbattery,forexampleovercharging,deepdischarging,andhighripplecurrents(seesection9.1Electricalabuse).
2.9 Simple installationTheblockbatterycanbeusedwithawiderangeofstationaryandmobileapplicationsasitproducesnocorrosivevapors,usescorrosion-freepolypropylenecontainersandhasasimpleboltedconnectorassemblysystem(seesection10Installationandoperatinginstructions).
2.10 Extended storageWhenstoredintheemptyanddischargedstateundertherecommendedconditions,theblockbatterycanbestoredformanyyears(seesection10.2Installationandoperatinginstructions).
2.11 Well-proven pocket plate constructionSafthasnearly100yearsofmanufacturingandapplicationexperiencewithrespecttothenickel-cadmiumpocketplateproduct,andthisexpertisehasbeenbuiltintothetwenty-plusyears’designlifeoftheblockbatteryproduct(seesection4Constructionfeaturesoftheblockbattery).
2.12 Environmentally safeSaftoperatesadedicatedrecyclingcentertorecoverthenickel,cadmium,steelandplasticusedinthebattery(seesection12Disposalandrecycling).
2.13 Low life-cycle costWhenallthefactorsoflifetime,lowmaintenancerequirements,simpleinstallationandstorageandresistancetoabusearetakenintoaccount,theSaftNifeblockbatterybecomesthemostcosteffectivesolutionformanyprofessionalapplications.
2.Benefitsofthe blockbattery
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Thenickel-cadmiumbatteryusesnickelhydroxideastheactivematerialforthepositiveplate,andcadmiumhydroxideforthenegativeplate.
Theelectrolyteisanaqueoussolutionofpotassiumhydroxidecontainingsmallquantitiesoflithiumhydroxidetoimprovecyclelifeandhightemperatureoperation.
Theelectrolyteisonlyusedforiontransfer;itisnotchemicallychangedordegradedduringthecharge/dischargecycle.Inthecaseoftheleadacidbattery,thepositiveandnegativeactivematerialschemicallyreactwiththesulphuricacidelectrolyteresultinginanageingprocess.
Thesupportstructureofbothplatesissteel.Thisisunaffectedbytheelectrolyte,andretainsitsstrengththroughoutthelifeofthecell.Inthecaseoftheleadacidbattery,thebasicstructureofbothplatesisleadandleadoxidewhichplayapartintheelectrochemistryoftheprocessandarenaturallycorrodedduringthelifeofthebattery.
Thecharge/dischargereactionofanickel-cadmiumbatteryisasfollows:
Duringdischargethetrivalentnickelhydroxideisreducedtodivalentnickelhydroxide,andthecadmiumatthenegativeplateformscadmiumhydroxide.
Oncharge,thereversereactiontakesplaceuntilthecellpotentialrisestoalevelwherehydrogenisevolvedatthenegativeplateandoxygenatthepositiveplatewhichresultsinwaterloss.
Unliketheleadacidbattery,thereislittlechangeintheelectrolytedensityduringchargeanddischarge.Thisallowslargereservesofelectrolytetobeusedwithoutinconveniencetotheelectrochemistryofthecouple.
Thus,throughitselectrochemistry,thenickel-cadmiumbatteryhasamorestablebehaviorthantheleadacidbattery,givingitalongerlife,superiorcharacteristicsandagreaterresistanceagainstabusiveconditions.
Nickel-cadmiumcellshaveanominalvoltageof1.2V.
discharge2NiOOH+2H2O+Cd2Ni(OH)2+Cd(OH)2
charge
3.Electrochemistryof nickel-cadmiumbatteries
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4. Constructionfeatures oftheblockbattery
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CellcontainerMaterial: translucentpolypropylene.
PlategroupbusConnects the plate tabs with the terminal post. Plate tabs and terminal post are projection-welded to the plate group bus.
Thecellsareweldedtogethertoformruggedblocksof1-6cellsdependingonthecellsizeandtype.
PlatetabSpot-welded both to the plate side-frames and to the upper edge of the pocket plate.
SeparatinggridsSeparate the plates and insulate the plate frames from each other. The grids allow free circulation of electrolyte between the plates.
PlateHorizontal pocketsof double-perforatedsteel strips.
SaftcellsfulfillallrequirementsspecifiedbyIEC60623.
Flame-arrestingventsMaterial: polypropylene.
PlateframeSeals the plate pocketsand serves as a current collector.
Protectivecover•to prevent external
short-circuits• in line with
EN 50272-2 (safety) with IP2 level
4.1 Plate assemblyThenickel-cadmiumcellconsistsoftwogroupsofplates,thepositivecontainingnickelhydroxideandthenegativecontainingcadmiumhydroxide.
TheactivematerialsoftheSaftNifepocketplateblockbatteryareretainedinpocketsformedfromsteelstripsdouble-perforatedbyapatentedprocess.
Thesepocketsaremechanicallylinkedtogether,cuttothesizecorrespondingtotheplatewidthandcompressedtothefinalplatedimension.Thisprocessleadstoaplatewhichisnotonlymechanicallyverystrongbutalsoretainsitsactivematerialwithinasteelcontainmentwhichpromotesconductivityandminimizeselectrodeswelling.Theseplatesarethenweldedtoacurrentcarryingbusbarassemblywhichfurtherensuresthemechanicalandelectricalstabilityoftheproduct.
Nickel-cadmiumbatterieshaveanexceptionallygoodlifetimeandcyclelifebecausetheirplatesarenotgraduallyweakenedbycorrosion,asthestructuralcomponentoftheplateissteel.Theactivematerialoftheplateisnotstructural,onlyelectrical.Thealkalineelectrolytedoesnotreactwithsteel,whichmeansthatthesupportingstructureoftheblockbatterystaysintactandunchangedforthelifeofthebattery.Thereisnocorrosionandnoriskof“suddendeath.”
Incontrast,theleadplateofaleadacidbatteryisboththestructureandtheactivematerialandthisleadstosheddingofthepositiveplatematerialandeventualstructuralcollapse.
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4.2 SeparationSeparationbetweenplatesisprovidedbyinjectionmoldedplasticseparatorgrids,integratingbothplateedgeinsulationandplateseparation.
Byprovidingalargespacingbetweenthepositiveandnegativeplatesandagenerousquantityofelectrolytebetweenplates,goodelectrolytecirculationandgasdissipationareprovided,andthereisnostratificationoftheelectrolyteasfoundwithleadacidbatteries.
4.3 ElectrolyteTheelectrolyteusedintheblockbattery,whichisasolutionofpotassiumhydroxideandlithiumhydroxide,isoptimizedtogivethebestcombinationofperformance,life,energyefficiencyandawidetemperaturerange.
Theconcentrationofthestandardelectrolyteissuchastoallowthecelltobeoperatedtotemperatureextremesaslowas–20°C(–4°F)andashighas+50°C(+122°F).Thisallowstheveryhightemperaturefluctuationfoundincertainregionstobeaccommodated.
Forverylowtemperaturesaspecialhighdensityelectrolytecanbeused.
Theelectrodematerialislessreactivewiththealkalineelectrolyte(nickel-cadmiumsecondarybatteries)thanwithacidelectrolytes(leadacidsecondarybatteries).Furthermore,duringcharginganddischarginginalkalinebatteriestheelectrolyteworksmainlyasacarrierofoxygenorhydroxylionsfromoneelectrodetotheother;hencethecompositionortheconcentrationoftheelectrolytedoesnotchangenoticeably.Inthecharge/dischargereactionof
thenickel-cadmiumbattery,thepotassiumhydroxideisnotmentionedinthereactionformula.Asmallamountofwaterisproducedduringthechargingprocedure(andconsumedduringthedischarge).Theamountisnotenoughtomakeitpossibletodetectifthebatteryischargedordischargedbymeasuringthedensityoftheelectrolyte.
Oncethebatteryhasbeenfilledwiththecorrectelectrolyteeitheratthebatteryfactoryorduringthebatterycommissioningthereisnoneedtochecktheelectrolytedensityperiodically.Thedensityoftheelectrolyteinthebatteryeitherincreasesordecreasesastheelectrolyteleveldropsbecauseofwaterelectrolysisorevaporationorrisesattopping-up.Interpretationofdensitymeasurementsisdifficultandcouldbemisleading.
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Inmostapplicationstheelectrolytewillretainitseffectivenessforthelifeofthebatteryandwillneverneedreplacing.However,undercertainconditions,suchasextendeduseinhightemperaturesituations,theelectrolytecanbecomecarbonated.Ifthisoccursthebatteryperformancecanbeimprovedbyreplacingtheelectrolyte.
ThestandardelectrolyteusedforthefirstfillincellsisE22andforreplacementinserviceisE13.
4.4 Terminal pillarsShortterminalpillarsareweldedtotheplatebusbarsusingawell-establishedandprovenmethod.Thesepostsaremanufacturedfromsteelbar,internallythreadedforboltingonconnectors,andnickel-plated.
Thesealingbetweenthecoverandtheterminalisprovidedbyacompressedvisco-elasticsealingsurfaceheldinplacebycompressionlockwashers.Thisassemblyisdesignedtoprovidesatisfactorysealingthroughoutthelifeoftheproduct.
4.5 Venting systemTheblockbatteryisfittedwithaspecialflame-arrestingflip-topventtogiveaneffectiveandsafeventingsystem.
4.6 Cell containerThebatteryisbuiltupusingwell-provenblockbatteryconstruction.Thetoughpolypropylenecontainersareweldedtogetherbyheatsealing.
Theblockbatteryuses4platesizesorplatemodules.Thesearedesignatedmoduletype1,2,3and4.Theycanberecognizedfromtheblockdimensionsasfollows:
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Table1-Correlationbetweenblockdimensionsandplatemodulenumber
Blockwidth(mm) Blockheight(mm) Platemodule
123 194 1
123 264 2
195 349 3
195 405 4
5.Batterytypesandapplications
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Inordertoprovideanoptimumsolutionforthewiderangeofbatteryapplicationswhichexist,the
blockbatteryisconstructedinthreeperformanceranges.
SaftNife batterytypes L M H
Autonomymini 3h 30min 1s maxi 100h 3h 30min Power Power Starting, backup backup PowerUseofbattery
Bulkenergy backup storage Applications Enginestarting-Switchgear-UPS-Processcontrol- Dataandinformationsystems-Emergencylighting- Securityandfirealarmsystems- Switchingandtransmissionsystems-Signaling Railways intercity& l l l urbantransport Stationary Utilities electricity,gas, waterproduction l l l
&distribution Oilandgas offshore&onshore, petrochemical l l l
refineries Industry chemical,mining, l l l steelmetalworks Buildings public,private l l l
Medical hospitals, l l l X-rayequipment Telecom radio, satellite,cable, l l repeaterstations, cellularbasestations Railroad substations l l l &signaling Airports l l l
Military allapplications l l l
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5.1 Type LTheLtypeisdesignedforapplicationswherethebatteryisrequiredtoprovideareliablesourceofenergyoverrelativelylongdischargeperiods.Normally,thecurrentisrelativelylowincomparisonwiththetotalstoredenergy,andthedischargesaregenerallyinfrequent.Typicalusesarepowerbackupandbulkenergystorage.
5.2 Type MTheMtypeisdesignedforapplicationswherethebatteriesareusuallyrequiredtosustainelectricalloadsforbetween30minutesto3hoursorfor“mixed”loadswhichinvolveamixtureofhighandlowdischargerates.Theapplicationscanhavefrequentorinfrequentdischarges.Therangeistypicallyusedinpowerbackupapplications.
5.3 Type HTheHtypeisdesignedforapplicationswherethereisademandforarelativelyhighcurrentovershortperiods,usuallylessthan30minutesinduration.Theapplicationscanhavefrequentorinfrequentdischarges.Therangeistypicallyusedinstartingandpowerbackupapplications.
5.4 Choice of typeInperformancetermstherangescoverthefulltimespectrumfromrapidhighcurrentdischargesofasecondtoverylonglowcurrentdischargesofmanyhours.Table2showsingeneraltermsthesplitbetweentherangesforthedifferentdischargetypes.Thechoiceisrelatedtothedischargetimeandtheendofdischargevoltage.Thereare,ofcourse,manyapplicationswheretherearemultipledischarges,andsotheoptimumrangetypeshouldbecalculated.Thisisexplainedinthesection7“Batterysizing”.
Table2-Generalselectionofcellrange
6.1 CapacityTheblockbatterycapacityisratedinampere-hours(Ah)andisthequantityofelectricityat+20°C(+68°F)whichitcansupplyfora5hourdischargeto1.0Vafterbeingfullychargedfor7.5hoursat0.2C5A.ThisfigureconformstotheIEC60623standard.
AccordingtotheIEC60623(Edition4),0.2C5Aisalsoexpressedas0.2I tA.Thereferencetestcurrent(I t)isexpressedas: CnAh 1hwhere:Cn istheratedcapacity declaredbythe manufacturerinampere- hours(Ah), and
n isthetimebaseinhours(h) forwhichtheratedcapacity isdeclared.
6.2 Cell voltageThecellvoltageofnickel-cadmiumcellsresultsfromtheelectrochemicalpotentialsofthenickelandthecadmiumactivematerialsinthepresenceofthepotassiumhydroxideelectrolyte.Thenominalvoltageforthiselectrochemicalcoupleis1.2V.
6.3 Internal resistanceTheinternalresistanceofacellvarieswiththetemperatureandthestateofchargeandis,therefore,difficulttodefineandmeasureaccurately.
Themostpracticalvaluefornormalapplicationsisthedischargevoltageresponsetoachangeindischargecurrent.
TheinternalresistanceofablockbatterycelldependsontheperformancetypeandatnormaltemperaturehasthevaluesgiveninTable3inmΩper1/C5.
Toobtaintheinternalresistanceofacellitisnecessarytodividethevaluefromthetablebytheratedcapacity.
Forexample,theinternalresistanceofaSBH118(moduletype3)isgivenby: 39
=0.33mΩ 118ThefiguresofTable3areforfullychargedcells.
Forlowerstatesofchargethevaluesincrease.Forcells50%dischargedtheinternalresistanceisabout20%higher,andwhen90%discharged,itisabout80%higher.Theinternalresistanceofafullydischargedcellhasverylittlemeaning.
Reducingthetemperaturealsoincreasestheinternalresistance,andat0°C(+32°F),theinternalresistanceisabout40%higher.
Table3-InternalresistanceinmΩper1/C5
*TheinternalresistancesfortheSBLErangeareincludedinthecommercialdatabrochure.
Celltype Moduleplatesize(seetable1)
1 2 3 4
SBL* 84 105 123 142
SBM 55 62 78 86
SBH N/A 30 39 43
6.Operatingfeatures
I tA=
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6.4 Effect of temperature on performanceVariationsinambienttemperatureaffecttheperformanceofthecellandthisneedstobetakenintoaccountwhensizingthebattery.
Lowtemperatureoperationhastheeffectofreducingtheperformance,butthehighertemperaturecharacteristicsaresimilartothoseatnormaltemperatures.Theeffectoflowtemperatureismoremarkedathigherratesofdischarge.
ThefactorswhicharerequiredinsizingabatterytocompensatefortemperaturevariationsaregiveninagraphicalforminFigure1(a),Ltype,Figure1(b),MtypeandFigure1(c),Htypeforoperatingtemperaturesfrom–20°Cto+50°C(–4°Fto+122°F).
Figure1(a)-Temperaturede-ratingfactorsforLtypecell
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Figure1(c)-Temperaturede-ratingfactorsforHtypecell
Figure1(b)-Temperaturede-ratingfactorsforMtypecell
6.5 Short-circuit valuesThetypicalshort-circuitvalueinamperesforablockbatterycellisapproximately9timestheampere-hourcapacityforanLtypeblock,16timestheampere-hourcapacityforanMtypeblockand28timestheampere-hourcapacityforanHtypeblock.
Theblockbatterywithconventionalboltedassemblyconnectionswillwithstandashort-circuitcurrentofthismagnitudeformanyminuteswithoutdamage.
6.6 Open circuit lossThestateofchargeoftheblockcellonopencircuitslowlydecreaseswithtimeduetoself-discharge.Inpracticethisdecreaseisrelativelyrapidduringthefirsttwoweeks,butthenstabilizestoabout2%permonthat+20°C(+68°F).
Theself-dischargecharacteristicsofanickel-cadmiumcellareaffectedbythetemperature.Atlowtemperatures,thechargeretentionisbetterthanatnormaltemperature,andsotheopencircuitlossisreduced.However,theself-dischargeissignificantlyincreasedathighertemperatures.
ThetypicalopencircuitlossfortheblockbatteryforarangeoftemperatureswhichmaybeexperiencedinastationaryapplicationisshowninFigure2.
6.7 CyclingTheblockbatteryisdesignedtowithstandthewiderangeofcyclingbehaviorencounteredinstationaryapplications.Thiscanvaryfromlowdepthofdischargestodischargesofupto100%andthenumberofcyclesthattheproductwillbeabletoprovidewilldependonthedepthofdischarge.
Thelessdeeplyabatteryiscycled,thegreaterthenumberofcyclesitiscapableofperformingbeforeitis
unabletoachievetheminimumdesignlimit.Ashallowcyclewillgivemanythousandsofoperations,whereasadeepcyclewillgiveonlyhundredsofoperations.
Figure3givestypicalvaluesfortheeffectofdepthofdischargeontheavailablecyclelife,anditisclearthatwhensizingthebatteryforacyclingapplication,thenumberanddepthofcycleshaveanimportantconsequenceonthepredictedlifeofthesystem.
Figure2-Capacitylossonopencircuitstand
Figure3-Typicalcyclelifeversusdepthofdischarge
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6.8 Effect of temperature on lifetimeTheblockbatteryisdesignedasatwentyyearlifeproduct,butaswitheverybatterysystem,increasingtemperaturereducestheexpectedlife.However,thereductioninlifetimewithincreasingtemperatureisverymuchlowerforthenickel-cadmiumbatterythantheleadacidbattery.
Thereductioninlifetimeforthenickel-cadmiumbattery,andforcomparison,ahighqualityleadacidbatteryisshowngraphicallyinFigure4.ThevaluesfortheleadacidbatteryareassuppliedbytheindustryandfoundinEurobatandIEEEdocumentation.
Ingeneralterms,forevery9ºC(16.2ºF)increaseintemperatureoverthenormaloperatingtemperatureof+25°C(+77°F),thereductioninservicelifeforanickel-cadmiumbatterywillbe20%,andforaleadacidbatterywillbe50%.
Inhightemperaturesituations,therefore,specialconsiderationmustbegiventodimensioningthenickel-cadmiumbattery.Underthesameconditions,theleadacidbatteryisnotapracticalproposition,duetoitsveryshortlifetime.TheVRLAbattery,forexample,whichhasalifetimeofabout7yearsundergoodconditions,hasthisreducedtolessthan1year,ifusedat+50°C(+122°F).
Figure4-Effectoftemperatureonlifetime
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6.9 Water consumption and gas evolutionDuringcharging,moreampere-hoursaresuppliedtothebatterythanthecapacityavailablefordischarge.Theseadditionalampere-hoursmustbeprovidedtoreturnthebatterytothefullychargedstateand,sincetheyarenotallretainedbythecellanddonotallcontributedirectlytothechemicalchangestotheactivematerialsintheplates,theymustbedissipatedinsomeway.Thissurpluscharge,orovercharge,breaksdownthewatercontentoftheelectrolyteintooxygenandhydrogen,andpuredistilledordeionizedwaterhastobeaddedtoreplacethisloss.
Waterlossisassociatedwiththecurrentusedforovercharging.Abatterywhichisconstantlycycled,i.e.ischargedanddischargedonaregularbasis,willconsumemorewaterthanabatteryonstandbyoperation.
Intheory,thequantityofwaterusedcanbefoundbytheFaradicequationthateachampere-hourofoverchargebreaksdown0.366cm3ofwater.However,inpractice,thewaterusagewillbelessthanthis,astheoverchargecurrentisalsoneededtocounteractself-dischargeoftheelectrodes.
Theoverchargecurrentisafunctionofbothvoltageandtemperature,sobothhaveaninfluenceontheconsumptionofwater.Figure5givestypicalwaterconsumptionvaluesoverarangeofvoltagesfordifferentcelltypes.
Example:AnSBM161isfloatingat1.43V/cell.Theelectrolytereserveforthiscellis500cm3.FromFigure5,anMtypecellat1.43V/cellwilluse0.27cm3/monthforoneAhofcapacity.ThusanSBM161willuse0.27x161=43.5cm3permonthandtheelectrolytereservewillbeusedin
500=11.5months.
Thegasevolutionisafunctionoftheamountofwaterelectrolyzedintohydrogenandoxygenandarepredominantlygivenoffattheendofthechargingperiod.Thebatterygivesoffnogasduringanormaldischarge.
Theelectrolysisof1cm3ofwaterproduces1865cm3ofgasmixtureandthisgasmixtureisintheproportionof2/3hydrogenand1/3oxygen.Thustheelectrolysisof1cm3ofwaterproduces1243cm3ofhydrogen.
Figure5-Waterconsumptionvaluesfordifferentvoltagesandcelltypes
43.5
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Thereareanumberofmethodswhichareusedtosizenickel-cadmiumbatteriesforstandbyfloatingapplications.ThemethodemployedbySaftistheIEEE1115recommendationwhichisacceptedinternationally.Thismethodtakesintoaccountmultipledischarges,temperaturede-rating,performanceafterfloatingandthevoltagewindowavailableforthebattery.
Asignificantadvantageofthenickel-cadmiumbatterycomparedtoaleadacidbattery,isthatitcanbefullydischargedwithoutanyinconvenienceintermsoflifeorrecharge.Thus,toobtainthesmallestandleastcostlybattery,itisanadvantagetodischargethebatterytothelowestpracticalvalueinordertoobtainthemaximumenergyfromthebattery.
Theprinciplesizingparameterswhichareofinterestare:
7.1 The voltage windowThisisthemaximumvoltageandtheminimumvoltageatthebatteryterminalsacceptableforthesystem.Inbatteryterms,themaximumvoltagegivesthevoltagewhichisavailabletochargethebattery,andtheminimumvoltagegivesthelowestvoltageacceptabletothesystemtowhichthebatterycanbedischarged.Indischargingthenickel-cadmiumbattery,thecellvoltageshouldbetakenaslowaspossibleinordertofindthemosteconomicandefficientbattery.
7.2 Discharge profileThisistheelectricalperformancerequiredfromthebatteryfortheapplication.Itmaybeexpressedintermsofamperesforacertainduration,oritmaybeexpressedintermsofpower,inwattsorkW,foracertainduration.Therequirementmaybesimplyonedischargeormanydischargesofacomplexnature.
7.3 TemperatureThemaximumandminimumtemperaturesandthenormalambienttemperaturewillhaveaninfluenceonthesizingofthebattery.Theperformanceofabatterydecreaseswithdecreasingtemperatureandsizingatalowtemperatureincreasesthebatterysize.Temperaturede-ratingcurvesareproducedforallcelltypestoallowtheperformancetoberecalculated.
7. Batterysizingprinciplesinstationarystandbyapplications
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7.4 State of charge or recharge timeSomeapplicationsmayrequirethatthebatteryshallgiveafulldutycycleafteracertaintimeafterthepreviousdischarge.Thefactorsusedforthiswilldependonthedepthofdischarge,therateofdischarge,andthechargevoltageandcurrent.Arequirementforahighstateofchargedoesnotjustifyahighchargevoltageiftheresultisahighendofdischargevoltage.
7.5 AgeingSomecustomersrequireavaluetobeaddedtoallowfortheageingofthebatteryoveritslifetime.Thismaybeavaluerequiredbythecustomer,forexample10%,oritmaybearequirementfromthecustomerthatavalueisusedwhichwillensuretheserviceofthebatteryduringitslifetime.Thevaluetobeusedwilldependonthedischargerateofthebatteryandtheconditionsunderwhichthedischargeiscarriedout.
7.6 Floating effectWhenanickel-cadmiumcellismaintainedatafixedfloatingvoltageoveraperiodoftime,thereisadecreaseinthevoltagelevelofthedischargecurve.Thiseffectbeginsafteroneweekandreachesitsmaximuminabout3months.Itcanonlybeeliminatedbyafulldischarge/chargecycle,anditcannotbeeliminatedbyaboostcharge.Itisthereforenecessarytotakethisintoaccountinanycalculationsconcerningbatteriesinfloatapplications.
Astheeffectofreducingthevoltagelevelistoreducetheautonomyofthebattery,theeffectcanbeconsideredasreducingtheperformanceofthebatteryandsoperformancedown-ratingfactorsareused.
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8.1 Charging generalitiesTheblockbatterycanbechargedbyallnormalmethods.Generally,batteriesinparalleloperationwithchargerandloadarechargedwithconstantvoltage.Inoperationswherethebatteryischargedseparatelyfromtheload,chargingwithconstantcurrentordecliningcurrentispossible.High-ratechargingoroverchargingwillnotdamagethebattery,butexcessivechargingwillincreasewaterconsumptiontosomedegree.
8.2 Constant voltage charging methodsBatteriesinstationaryapplicationsarenormallychargedbyaconstantvoltagefloatsystemandthiscanbeoftwotypes:thetwo-ratetype,wherethereisaninitialconstantvoltagechargefollowedbyalowervoltagefloatingvoltage;orasingle-ratefloatingvoltage.
Thesinglevoltagechargerisnecessarilyacompromisebetweenavoltagehighenoughtogiveanacceptablechargetimeandlowenoughtogivealowwaterusage.Howeveritdoesgiveasimplercharging
systemandacceptsasmallervoltagewindowthanthetwo-ratecharger.
Thetwo-ratechargerhasaninitialhighvoltagestagetochargethebatteryfollowedbyalowervoltagemaintenancecharge.Thisallowsthebatterytobechargedquickly,andyet,havealowwaterconsumptionduetothelowmaintenancechargeorfloatvoltagelevel.
Thevaluesusedfortheblockbatteryrangesforsingleandtwo-ratechargesystemsareasshowninTable4below.
Tominimizethewaterusage,itisimportanttousealowchargevoltagepercell,andsotheminimumvoltageforthesinglelevelandthetwolevelchargevoltageisthenormallyrecommendedvalue.Thisalsohelpswithinavoltagewindowtoobtainthelowest,andmosteffective,endofdischargevoltagepercell(seesection7Batterysizing).
Thevaluesgivenasmaximumarethosewhichareacceptabletothebattery,butwouldnotnormallybeusedinpractice,particularlyforthesinglelevel,becauseofhighwaterusage.
8.Batterycharging
Cell Singlelevel(V/cell) Twolevel(V/cell) type
min max min max floating
L 1.43 1.50 1.47 1.70 1.42±0.01
M 1.43 1.50 1.45 1.70 1.40±0.01
H 1.43 1.50 1.45 1.70 1.40±0.01
Table4-Chargeandfloatvoltagesfortheblockbatteryranges
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8.3 Charge acceptanceAdischargedcellwilltakeacertaintimetoachieveafullstateofcharge.Figures6(a),(b)and(c)givethecapacityavailablefortypicalchargingvoltagesrecommendedfortheblockbatteryrangeduringthefirst30hoursofchargefromafullydischargedstate.
Figure6(b)-TypicalrechargetimesfromafullydischargedstatefortheMblock
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Figure6(a)-TypicalrechargetimesfromafullydischargedstatefortheLblock
Thesegraphsgivetherechargetimeforacurrentlimitof0.2C5A.Clearly,ifalowervalueforthecurrentisused,e.g.0.1C5A,thenthebatterywilltakelongertocharge.Ifahighercurrentisusedthenitwillchargemorerapidly.Thisisnotingeneralaproratarelationshipduetothelimitedchargingvoltage.
ThechargetimeforanMtypeplateatdifferentchargeregimesforafixedvoltageisgiveninFigure6(d).
Iftheapplicationhasaparticularrechargetimerequirementthenthismustbetakenintoaccountwhencalculatingthebattery.
Figure6(d)-TypicalrechargetimesfordifferentchargeratesfortheMblock
21
Figure6(c)-TypicalrechargetimesfromafullydischargedstatefortheHblock
8.4 Charge efficiencyThechargeefficiencyofthebatteryisdependentonthestateofchargeofthebatteryandthetemperature.Formuchofitschargeprofile,itisrechargedatahighlevelofefficiency.
Ingeneral,atstatesofchargelessthan80%thechargeefficiencyremainshigh,butasthebatteryapproachesafullychargedcondition,thechargingefficiencyfallsoff.
8.5 Temperature effectsAsthetemperatureincreases,theelectrochemicalbehaviorbecomesmoreactive,andso,forthesamefloatingvoltage,thecurrentincreases.Asthetemperatureisreducedthenthereverseoccurs.Increasingthecurrentincreasesthewaterloss,andreducingthecurrentcreatestheriskthatthecellwillnotbesufficientlycharged.
Forstandbyapplication,itisnormallynotrequiredtocompensatethechargingvoltagewiththetemperature.Howeverifwaterconsumptionisofmainconcern,temperaturecompensationshouldbeusedifthebatteryisoperatingathightemperaturesuchas+35°C(+95°F).Atlowtemperature(<0°C/+32°F),thereisariskofpoorcharginganditisrecommendedeithertoadjustthechargingvoltageortocompensatethechargingvoltagewiththetemperature.
Valueofthetemperaturecompensation:–3mV/°C(–1.7mV/°F),startingfromanambienttemperatureof+20°Cto+25°C(+68°Fto+77°F).
8.6 Commissioning*Itisrecommendedthatagoodfirstchargeshouldbegiventothebattery.Thisisaonceonlyoperation,andisessentialtopreparethebatteryforitslongservicelife.Itisalsoimportantfordischargedandemptycellswhichhavebeenfilled,astheywillbeinatotallydischargedstate.
Aconstantcurrentfirstchargeispreferableandthisshouldbesuchastosupply200%oftheratedcapacityofthecell.Thus,a250Ahcellwillrequire500ampere-hours’input,e.g.50Afor10hours.
* Please refer to the installation and operating instructions (see section 10).
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9.1 Electrical abuseRippleeffectsThenickel-cadmiumbatteryistoleranttohighrippleandwillacceptripplecurrentsofupto0.2C5AI eff.Infact,theonlyeffectofahighripplecurrentisthatofincreasedwaterusage.Thus,ingeneral,anycommerciallyavailablechargerorgeneratorcanbeusedforcommissioningormaintenancechargingoftheblockbattery.Thiscontrastswiththevalve-regulatedleadacidbattery(VRLA)whererelativelysmallripplecurrentscancausebatteryoverheating,andwillreducelifeandperformance.
Over-dischargeIfmorethanthedesignedcapacityistakenoutofabatterythenitbecomesdeep-dischargedandreversed.Thisisconsideredtobeanabusesituationforabatteryandshouldbeavoided.
Inthecaseofleadacidbatteriesthiswillleadtofailureofthebatteryandisunacceptable.
Theblockbatterywillnotbedamagedbyover-dischargebutmustberechargedtocompensatefortheover-discharge.
OverchargeInthecaseoftheblockbattery,withitsgenerouselectrolytereserve,asmalldegreeofoverchargeoverashortperiodwillnotsignificantlyalterthemaintenanceperiod.Inthecaseofexcessiveovercharge,waterreplenishmentisrequired,buttherewillbenosignificanteffectonthelifeofthebattery.
9.2 Mechanical abuseShockloadsTheblockbatteryconcepthasbeentestedtoIEC68-2-29(bumptestsat5g,10gand25g)andIEC77(shocktest3g),whereg=acceleration.
VibrationresistanceTheblockbatteryconcepthasbeentestedtoIEC77for2hoursat1g,whereg=acceleration.
ExternalcorrosionTheblockbatteryismanufacturedindurablepolypropylene.Allexternalmetalcomponentsarenickel-platedorstainlesssteel,protectedbyananti-corrosionoil,andthenprotectedbyarigidplasticcover.
9.Specialoperatingfactors23
Important recommendationsn Never allow an exposed flame
or spark near the batteries, particularly while charging.
n Never smoke while performing any operation on the battery.
n For protection, wear rubber gloves, long sleeves, and appropriate splash goggles or face shield.
n The electrolyte is harmful to skin and eyes. In the event of contact with skin or eyes, wash immediately with plenty of water. If eyes are affected, flush with water, and obtain immediate medical attention.
n Remove all rings, watches and other items with metal parts before working on the battery.
n Use insulated tools.n Avoid static electricity and
take measures for protection against electric shocks.
n Discharge any possible static electricity from clothing and/or tools by touching an earth-connected part “ground” before working on the battery.
10.1 Receiving the shipmentUnpackthecellsimmediatelyuponarrival.Donotoverturnthepackage.Transportsealsarelocatedunderthecoveroftheventplug.
nIf the cells are shipped filled and charged,thecellsarereadyforassembly.Removetheplastictransportsealsonlybeforeuse.
nIf the cells are shipped empty and discharged,donotremovetheplastictransportsealsuntilreadytofillthecells.
The cells must never be charged with the transport seals in place as this can cause permanent damage.
10.2 StorageStorethebatteryindoorsinadry,clean,coollocation(0°Cto+30°C/+32°Fto+86°F)andwellventilatedspaceonopenshelves.
Donotstoreindirectsunlightorexposetoexcessiveheat.
n Cells filled and charged
•Ifcellsarestoredfilled,theymustbefullychargedpriortostorage.•Cellsmaybestoredfilledandchargedforaperiodnotexceeding12monthsfromdateofdispatchfromfactory.
Storageofafilledbatteryattemperaturesabove+30°C(+86°F)canresultinlossofcapacity.Thiscanbeasmuch
as5%per10°C(18°F)above+30°C(+86°F)peryear.
n Cells empty and discharged
•Saftrecommendstostorecellsemptyanddischarged.ThisensurescompliancewithIEC60623section4.9(storage).•Cellscanbestoredlikethisformanyyears.
n Whendeliveriesaremadeincardboardboxes,storewithoutopeningtheboxes.
n When deliveries are made in plywood boxes, open the boxes before the storage. The lid and the packing material on top of the cells must be removed.
10.Installationand operatinginstructions
24
10.3 Electrolyte / cell oiln Cells delivered filled and
charged:Checkthelevelofelectrolyte.Itshouldnotbemorethan20mmbelowthemaximumlevelmark(upper).Ifthisisnotthecase,adjustthelevelwithdistilledordeionizedwater.Cellsdeliveredfilledhavealreadycelloilinplace.
Incaseofspillageofelectrolyteduringthetransport,thecellshavetobetopped-upwithE22electrolyte.Fillthecellsabout20mmabovetheminimumlevelmark(lower)withelectrolyte.Wait4hoursandadjustifnecessarybeforecommissioning.
n Cells delivered empty and discharged:
Iftheelectrolyteissupplieddry,prepareitaccordingtoitsseparateinstructionssheet.TheelectrolytetobeusedisE22.Removethetransportsealsjustbeforefilling.
Fillthecellsabout20mmabovetheminimumlevelmark(lower)withelectrolyte.
Wait4to24hoursandadjustifnecessarybeforecommissioning.
Itisrecommendedtoaddthecelloilafterthecommissioningcharge,withthesyringe,
accordingtothequantityindicatedintheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet.
10.4 Installation10.4.1 LocationInstallthebatteryinadryandcleanroom.Avoiddirectsunlightandheat.Thebatterywillgivethebestperformanceandmaximumservicelifewhentheambienttemperatureisbetween+10°Cto+30°C(+50°Fto+86°F).
10.4.2 VentilationDuringthelastpartofcharging,thebatteryisemittinggases(oxygenandhydrogenmixture).Atnormalfloat-chargethegasevolutionisverysmallbutsomeventilationisnecessary.
Note that special regulations for ventilation may be valid in your area depending on the application.
10.4.3 MountingVerifythatcellsarecorrectlyinterconnectedwiththeappropriatepolarity.Thebatteryconnectiontoloadshouldbewithnickelplatedcablelugs.Recommendedtorquesforterminalboltsare:•M6=11±1.1N.m(97.4±9.8lbf.in)•M8=20±2N.m(177.0±17.7lbf.in)•M10=30±3N.m(265.0±26.6lbf.in)
Theconnectorsandterminalsshouldbecorrosion-protectedbycoatingwithathinlayerofanti-corrosionoil.
Remove the transport seals and close the vent plugs.
10.5 CommissioningVerify that the transport seals are removed, the vents are closed and the ventilation is adequate during this operation.
Agoodcommissioningisimportant.Chargeatconstantcurrentispreferable.
IfthecurrentlimitislowerthanindicatedintheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet,chargeforaproportionallylongertime.
n For cells filled and charged by the factory and stored less than 6 months:
• Constant current charge:Chargefor10hat0.2C5Arecommended(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
Note:Attheendofthecharge,thecellvoltagemayreachthelevelof1.85Vpercell,thusthechargershallbeabletosupplysuchvoltage.Whenthechargermaximumvoltagesettingistoolowtosupplyconstantcurrentcharging,dividethebattery
25
intotwopartstobechargedindividually.• Constant voltage charge:Chargefor24hat1.65V/cell,currentlimitedto0.2C5Aorchargefor48hat1.55V/cell,currentlimitedto0.2C5A(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
n For cells filled on location or for filled cells which have been stored more than 6 months:
• Constant current charge:a) Chargefor10hat0.2C5Arecommended(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
b) Dischargeat0.2C5Ato1.0V/cell
c)Chargefor10hat0.2C5Arecommended(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
Note: Attheendofthecharge,thecellvoltagemayreachthelevelof1.85Vpercell,thusthechargershallbeabletosupplysuchvoltage.
Whenthechargermaximumvoltagesettingistoolowtosupplyconstantcurrentcharging,dividethebatteryintotwopartstobechargedindividually.
• Constant voltage charge:a) Chargefor30hat1.65V/cellwithcurrentlimitedto0.2C5A(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
b) Dischargeat0.2C5Ato1.0V/cell
c)Chargefor30 hat1.65V/cellwithcurrentlimitedto0.2C5Aorchargefor48hat1.55V/cellcurrentlimitedto0.2C5A(seetheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet).
nCell oil & electrolyte after commissioning:waitfor4hoursaftercommissioning.
• For cells delivered filled by the factory:- Celloilisalreadyinplace.- Checktheelectrolytelevelandadjustittothemaximumlevelmark(upper)byaddingdistilledordeionizedwater.
• For cells filled on location:- Addthecelloilwiththesyringe,accordingtothequantityindicatedintheInstallationandOperatingInstructionssheet.- Checktheelectrolytelevelandadjustittothemaximumlevelmark(upper)byadding:electrolyte.
Thebatteryisreadyforuse.
For capacity test purposes, the battery has to be charged in accordance with IEC 60623 section 4.
10.6 Charging in servicen Continuous parallel
operation,withoccasionalbatterydischarge.Recommendedchargingvoltage(+20°Cto+25°C/+68°Fto+77°F):
For two level charge:•floatlevel=1.42±0.01V/cellforLcells=1.40±0.01V/cellforMandHcells
•highlevel=1.47-1.70V/cellforLcells=1.45-1.70V/cellforMandHcells.
Ahighvoltagewillincreasethespeedandefficiencyoftherecharging.
For single level charge:•floatlevel:1.43-1.50V/cell.
nBuffer operation,wheretheloadexceedsthechargerrating.
Recommendedchargingvoltage(+20°Cto+25°C/+68°Fto+77°F):1.50-1.60V/cell.
26
27
10.7 Periodic maintenancen Keepthebatterycleanusingonlywater.Donotuseawirebrushorsolventsofanykind.Ventplugscanberinsedincleanwaterifnecessary.
n Checktheelectrolytelevel.Neverletthelevelfallbelowtheminimumlevelmark(lower).Useonlydistilledordeionizedwatertotop-up.Experiencewilltellthetimeintervalbetweentopping-up.
Note: Oncethebatteryhasbeenfilledwiththecorrectelectrolyteeitheratthebatteryfactoryorduringthebatterycommissioning,thereisnoneedtochecktheelectrolytedensityperiodically.Interpretationofdensitymeasurementsisdifficultandcouldbemisleading.
n Checkthechargingvoltage.Ifabatteryisparallelconnected,itisimportantthattherecommendedchargingvoltageremainsunchanged.Thechargingvoltageshouldbecheckedandrecordedatleastonceyearly.Ifacellfloatvoltageisfoundbelow1.35V,high-ratechargeisrecommendedtoapplytothecellconcerned.
n Checkeverytwoyearsthatallconnectorsaretight.Theconnectorsandterminalboltsshouldbecorrosion-protectedbycoatingwithathinlayerofanti-corrosionoil.
n Highwaterconsumptionisusuallycausedbyhighimpropervoltagesettingofthecharger.
10.8 Changing electrolyteInmoststationarybatteryapplications,theelectrolytewillretainitseffectivenessforthelifeofthebattery.However,underspecialbatteryoperatingconditions,iftheelectrolyteisfoundtobecarbonated,thebatteryperformancecanberestoredbyreplacingtheelectrolyte.
Theelectrolytetypetobeusedforreplacementinthesecellsis:E13.
Referto“ElectrolyteInstructions”.
28
Inacorrectlydesignedstandbyapplication,theblockbatteryrequirestheminimumofattention.However,itisgoodpracticewithanysystemtocarryoutaninspectionofthesystematleastonceperyear,orattherecommendedtopping-upintervalperiodtoensurethatthecharger,thebatteryandtheauxiliaryelectronicsareallfunctioningcorrectly.
Whenthisinspectioniscarriedout,itisrecommendedthatcertainproceduresshouldbecarriedouttoensurethatthebatteryismaintainedinagoodstate.
11.1 Cleanliness/mechanicalCellsmustbekeptcleananddryatalltimes,asdustanddampcausecurrentleakage.Terminalsandconnectorsshouldbekeptclean,andanyspillageduringmaintenanceshouldbewipedoffwithacleancloth.Thebatterycanbecleaned,usingwater.Donotuseawirebrushorasolventofanykind.Ventcapscanberinsedincleanwater,ifnecessary.
Checkthattheflame-arrestingventsaretightlyfittedandthattherearenodepositsontheventcaps.
Terminalsshouldbecheckedfortightness,andtheterminalsandconnectorsshouldbecorrosion-protectedbycoatingwithathinlayerofneutralgreaseoranti-corrosionoil.
11.2 Topping-upChecktheelectrolytelevel.NeverletthelevelfallbelowthelowerMINmark.Useonlyapproveddistilledordeionizedwatertotop-up.Donotoverfillthecells.
Excessiveconsumptionofwaterindicatesoperationattoohighavoltageortoohighatemperature.Negligibleconsumptionofwater,withbatteriesoncontinuouslowcurrentorfloatcharge,couldindicateunder-charging.Areasonableconsumptionofwateristhebestindicationthatabatteryisbeingoperatedunderthecorrectconditions.Anymarkedchangeintherateofwaterconsumptionshouldbeinvestigatedimmediately.
Thetopping-upintervalcanbecalculatedasdescribedinsection6.9.However,itisrecommendedthat,initially,electrolytelevelsshouldbemonitoredmonthlytodeterminethefrequencyoftopping-uprequiredforaparticularinstallation.
Safthasafullrangeoftopping-upequipmentavailabletoaidthisoperation.
11.Maintenanceofblockbatteriesinservice
11.3 Capacity checkElectricalbatterytestingisnotpartofnormalroutinemaintenance,asthebatteryisrequiredtogivethebackupfunctionandcannotbeeasilytakenoutofservice.
However,ifacapacitytestofthebatteryisneeded,thefollowingprocedureshouldbefollowed:
a)Dischargethebatteryattherateof0.1C5to0.2C5A(10to20Afora100Ahbattery)toafinalaveragevoltageof1.0V/cell(i.e.92voltsfora92cellbattery)
b)Charge200%(i.e.200Ahfora100Ahbatteryatthesamerateusedina)
c)Dischargeatthesamerateusedina),measuringandrecordingcurrent,voltageandtimeeveryhour,andmorefrequentlytowardstheendofthedischarge.Thisshouldbecontinueduntilafinalaveragevoltageof1.0V/cellisreached.Theoverallstateofthebatterycanthenbeseen,andifindividualcellmeasurementsaretaken,thestateofeachcellcanbeobserved.
11.4 Recommended maintenance procedureInordertoobtainthebestfromyourbattery,thefollowingmaintenanceprocedureisrecommended.
Itisalsorecommendedthatamaintenancerecordbekeptwhichshouldincludearecordofthetemperatureofthebatteryroom.
Yearly
checkchargevoltagesettings
checkcellvoltages
(50mVdeviationfromaverage
isacceptable)
checkfloatcurrentofthebattery
checkelectrolytelevel
highvoltagechargeifagreed
forapplication
Every2years
cleancelllidsandbatteryarea
checktorquevalues,grease
terminalsandconnectors
Every5yearsorasrequired
capacitycheck
Asrequired
top-upwithwateraccordingto
definedperiod(dependonfloat
voltage,cyclesandtemperature)
29
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Inaworldwhereautonomoussourcesofelectricpowerareevermoreindemand,Saftbatteriesprovideanenvironmentallyresponsibleanswertotheseneeds.EnvironmentalmanagementliesatthecoreofSaft’sbusinessandwetakecaretocontroleverystageofabattery’slife-cycleintermsofpotentialimpact.Environmentalprotectionisourtoppriority,fromdesignandproductionthroughend-of-lifecollection,disposalandrecycling.
Ourrespectfortheenvironmentiscomplementedbyanequalrespectforourcustomers.Weaimtogenerateconfidenceinourproducts,notonlyfromafunctionalstandpoint,butalsointermsoftheenvironmentalsafeguardsthatarebuiltintotheirlife-cycle.Thesimpleanduniquenatureofthebatterycomponentsmakethemreadilyrecyclableandthisprocesssafeguardsvaluablenaturalresourcesforfuturegenerations.
Inpartnershipwithcollectionagenciesworldwide,Saftorganizesretrievalfrompre-collectionpointsandtherecyclingofspentSaftbatteries.InformationaboutSaft’scollectionnetworkcanbefoundonourwebsite:
Ni-Cdbatteriesmustnotbediscardedasharmlesswasteandshouldbetreatedcarefullyinaccordancewithlocalandnationalregulations.YourSaftrepresentativecanassistwithfurtherinformationontheseregulationsandwiththeoverallrecyclingprocedure.
12.Disposalandrecycling
www.saftbatteries.com
Saftiscommittedtothehigheststandardsofenvironmentalstewardship.Aspartofitsenvironmentalcommitment,Saftgivesprioritytorecycledrawmaterialsovervirginrawmaterials,reducesitsplants’ releases toairandwater yearafter year,minimizeswaterusage, reduces fossil energyconsumptionandassociatedCO2emissions,andensuresthatitscustomershaverecyclingsolutionsavailablefortheirspentbatteries.
RegardingindustrialNi-Cdbatteries,SafthashadpartnershipsformanyyearswithcollectioncompaniesinmostEUcountries,inNorthAmericaandinothercountries.Thiscollectionnetworkreceivesanddispatchesourcustomers’batteriesattheendoftheirlivestofullyapprovedrecyclingfacilities,incompliancewiththelawsgoverningtrans-boundarywasteshipments.ThiscollectionnetworkisundergoingminoradaptationstomeettherequirementsoftheEUbatteriesdirective.Alistofourcollectionpointsisavailableonourwebsite.Inothercountries,Saftassistsusersofitsbatteriesinfindingenvironmentallysoundrecyclingsolutions.Pleasecontactyoursalesrepresentativeforfurtherinformation.
SaftIndustrialBatteryGroup12,rueSadiCarnot93170Bagnolet–FranceTel:+33(0)149931918Fax:+33(0)149931964
www.saftbatteries.com
DocN˚21081-2-0511Edition:May2011Datainthisdocumentissubjecttochangewithoutnoticeandbecomescontractualonlyafterwrittenconfirmation.
Photocredit:©Royalty-Free/Corbis,PhotoDisc,Saft.
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