The capacity rating of the Lead-Acid Battery is rather flexible.
There is more capacity built into the battery than its rating
would seem to indicate. This is done purposely to assure that
the battery provides sufficient capacity over its lifetime of
service where it will be subjected to less than ideal charging
processes. It is well established, for example, that the automotive
battery charging system is incapable of fully charging a battery
to the extent that all Lead Sulfate is converted back into active
plate materials. A small amount of Lead Sulfate will remain on
the plates with each charge cycle which will over time become
"hardened" due to crystallization and thereby gradually decrease
the capacity of the battery. The built-in reserve capacity is designed
to assure that the battery continues to function reliably with adequate
capacity in spite of this eventuality.
It is possible, while the battery is new, to increase its capacity with
a properly applied charging algorithm which is able to access the
built in overcapacity. This capability may lead to the wrong conclusion
that the charging algorithm has produced some "magic" or that it has
resulted in the release of Free Energy with a COP > 1.0; a repetition of
numerous discharge/charge cycles utilizing the effective algorithm will
in time demonstrate that the increase in capacity reaches a peak which
is consistent with the purposely built-in over capacity of the battery.
While the Lead-Acid battery does indeed possess some incredible ability
to "bounce back" from deep discharge, it is at the same time quite fragile.
As the battery undergoes the chemical reactions of charging and discharging
the plates themselves physically expand and contract in size and mass.
The active materials in the plates are gradually dislodged by this expansion
and contraction which means that the plates lose material over their lifetime
which settles to the bottom of the battery as a mud. This loss is accelerated
by the overcharging which is periodically performed to equalize the cells.
During the overcharge equalization cycle the battery electrolyzes the water
in its electrolyte to produce Hydrogen and Oxygen gases. As the gas bubbles
are formed at the plates and release to rise to the surface, some erosion of
loose particles of the plates takes place and additional active material is
lost to add to the accumulation of mud at the bottom of the battery.
While this is going on it appears that the battery is "boiling" and some have
actually thought that it really is boiling and describe it as such. It isn't actually
boiling but rather it is outgassing due to the electrolysis of water, although, if
not carefully monitored the equalization current if excessive could heat the
battery so much that it can indeed reach a true boiling temperature. This
outcome must be avoided as it is very destructive to the battery and will
ruin it in short order.
It is for that reason the the Current Interrupt Algorithm, or Pulse Charging
Algorithm, is the best option. Pulsing the battery with higher than normal
voltage pulses will accomplish the desired chemical reactions at the plates,
will desulfate the plates and will equalize the cells, all without excessive
outgassing or rise in battery temperature. The useful life of the battery
can be extended to many times what is thought to be normal.
Is it possible to do this in an automobile? Yes, it is. Quite easily and
inexpensively too.
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Topic: Generating System (Read 78221 times)
