Performance of flooded- and gelled-electrolyte lead/acid batteries under remote-area power-supply duty

摘要

Both flooded-electrolyte and gelled-electrolyte lead/acid batteries have been operated under field and simulated remote-area power-supply (RAPS) service. Suitably designed batteries of the flat-plate, flooded-electrolyte variety provide the best performance under laboratory conditions. Good results can also be obtained from tubular-plate, flooded-electrolyte units, as well as from flat- and tubular-plate gelled- electrolyte types. Operation at elevated temperatures reduces the lifetime of both the gelled-electrolyte and the tubular-plate, flooded-electrolyte batteries. The principal failure modes of flooded-electrolyte batteries operated at moderate temperatures are degradation of the positive active-material (i.e., shedding, sulfation) and corrosion of the positive grid.