Fundamentals, Selection and Sizing

of
Standby Storage Batteries

4 February 2010

Standby Batteries In Generating Stations & Substations

Application :
-- Unit Battery
Substation Battery

PLCC
24/26v C & I Battery
UPS Battery
Battery for VHF set

4 February 2010

Battery Is Considered To Be The HEART Of The

Power Plant
Battery provides the ultimate and final DC back-up for
operating emergency equipment which power the turbo
generators (viz. emergency oil pumps etc.)
DC power for operation of all switchgear, protection
relays, indicating lamps and facia
Power for emergency lighting within the generating
station building
Uninterrupted power for controlling C & I equipment and
associated ups systems
Power for vital communication equipment (plcc),
essential for re-synchronising the unit with the grid or
for reviving the grid in the case of a major grid failure
4 February 2010

What If The Battery Fails In An Emergency

Unit Battery
The emergency oil pump will not operate which may
lead to the seizure of rotor bearings
Loss of hundreds of crores of rupees towards repairing
the rotor and generation revenue loss while the unit is
out of commission
Switchgear associated with generator may not trip
which can lead to generating transformer damage
Failure of instrumentation and control
Total darkness in the powerhouse

4 February 2010

What If The Battery Fails In An Emergency (contd.)

Substation
Switchgear and relays will not operate causing
extensive damage to transformers and power lines

PLCC
Extremely difficult to resynchronise the unit with the
grid
Major setback in the process of reviving the grid in the
event of a regional grid failure
If the battery fails while the unit is in operation, it may
become essential to shutdown
4 February 2010

The Single Most Important Feature Of Storage Batteries For

Power Sector and Other Critical Standby Application Is

Reliability
Reliable standby power source
Deliver power as and when called for
Full capacity at any point of time in service life
Predictability

4 February 2010

STORAGE BATTERY
WHEN ?
EITHER
SUDDEN DISRUPTION OF MAINS POWER TAKES PLACE
OR
CONVENIENT AVAILABILITY OF MAINS POWER IS NOT THERE

THIS CLEARLY DEFINES TWO REGIMES OF APPLICATION

STANDBY APPLICATION

UPS, INVERTERS, TELEPHONE

EXCHANGES, POWER STATIONS,
SWITCHING

CYCLIC APPLICATION

CELL PHONES, TOYS, FORK

LIFTS, ELECTRIC VEHICLES,
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS

4 February 2010

SELECTION HEURISTICS

KNOWLEDGE OF
ATTRIBUTES OF
COMPETING
TECHNOLOGIES

SELECTION OF RIGHT
TECHNOLOGY

KNOWLEDGE OF
ATTRIBUTES OF
DESIGN OPTIONS

KNOWLEDGE OF
APPLICATION
REQUIREMENTS

CALCULATION OF
CORRECT CAPACITY

4 February 2010

General Battery Technologies

Most Popular Electrochemical Couples used worldwide in
Industrial Application
LEAD ACID

NICKEL CADMIUM

4 February 2010

BASIC ELECTROCHEMISTRY
LEAD ACID
CHARGED

DISCHARGED

PbO2 + Pb + 2H2SO4
POS

NEG.

PbSO4 + PbSO4 + 2H2O

POS

NEG.

ELECTROLYTE TAKES ACTIVE PART IN REACTION SPECIFIC GRAVITY

CHANGES WITH STATE OF CHARGE EASY MONITORING AND INDICATION
OF STATE OF CHARGE (SOC)

NICKEL CADMIUM
DISCHARGED

CHARGED

2NiOOH + 2H2O + Cd
NEG.

POS

2Ni(OH)2 + Cd(OH)2
NEG.

POS

ELECTROLYTE DOES NOT TAKE ACTIVE PART IN REACTION SPECIFIC

GRAVITY DOES NOT CHANGE WITH STATE OF CHARGE NO DIRECT &
EASY METHOD OF MEASURING STATE OF CHARGE
4 February 2010

Advantage Lead Acid

More than 90% of applications world-wide use
Lead-acid
Reasons:

LOW COST

APPLICATION VERSATILITY

ABUNDANT RAW MATERIAL

WELL DEVELOPED SERVICING RECYCLING

INFRASTRUCTURE

4 February 2010

The Lead-Acid Technology

Technology Wise Categorisation
Industrial Lead Acid Battery

FLOODED

FLAT

TUBULAR

4 February 2010

VRLA

PLANTE

LEAD ACID BATTERY

PLATES ARE
CONSTITUTED
OF

ACTIVE MATERIAL

SUPPORT STRUCTURE

TAKES ACTIVE PART IN

REACTION TO STORE &
SUPPLY ENERGY

ACTIVE
MATERIAL

SUPPORT
STRUCTURE
2

4 February 2010

AN OVERVIEW

ENABLES ELECTRONIC
CONDUCTION

PROVIDES MECHANICAL
SUPPORT TO ACTIVE
MATERIAL

FLAT PLATE DESIGN

4 February 2010

FLAT PLATE

MORPHOLOGY

WIRE-MESH LIKE SUPPORT

STRUCTURE GRID CAST OF LEAD
ALLOY, ANTIMONY OR CALCIUM

ACTIVE MATERIAL
PASTED ON GRID EXTERNALLY

A CHEMICAL BONDING HOLDS THE ACTIVE

MATERIAL IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE
SERVICE LIFE

4 February 2010

FLAT POSITIVE PLATE

ADVANTAGES
MINIMUM LEAD

MOST ECONOMIC & HIGHEST

ENERGY DENSITY

LARGE ACTIVE
SURFACE AREA

EXCELLENT HIGH RATE

DISCHARGE PERFORMANCE
AND CHARGE ACCEPTANCE

LIMITATIONS
ACTIVE MATERIAL
SHEDDING

LIMITED CYCLING
CAPABILITY

EASY ACCESS OF
ACID TO LEAD GRID

EASY CORROSION LOW

LIFE EXPECTANCY

MOST SUITABLE FOR HIGH CURRENT, SHORT DURATION

APPLICATION viz. SLI, SHALLOW DUTY INVERTER ETC.
4 February 2010

TUBULAR PLATE DESIGN

4 February 2010

TUBULAR POSITIVE PLATE

MORPHOLOGY

GAUNTLET + BOTTOM BAR + LEAD TOP BAR

RETAINS THE ACTIVE MATERIAL

LEAD TOP BAR

ACTIVE
MATERIAL

SPINE

GAUNTLET
4 February 2010

PLASTIC BOTTOM BAR

TUBULAR POSITIVE PLATE

WHY ?

ADVANTAGES
NO ACTIVE MATERIAL
SHEDDING
SPINE DEEPLY
EMBEDDED IN ACTIVE
MATERIAL LOW SPINE
CORROSION

LOOSE PACKING OF
ACTIVE MATERIAL
POSSIBLE

BEST SUITED FOR

CYCLING 1500 CYCLES
@ 80% DOD
EXTREME TEMPERATURE
OPERATION
RESISTANT TO OVERCHARGE
RECOVERY FROM DEEP
DISCHARGE
PSOC OPERATION

EXTENDED SERVICE LIFE. IT IS DESIGNED FOR DEEP CYCLING

4 February 2010

TUBULAR POSITIVE PLATE

WHY NOT ?

LIMITATIONS

MODEST HIGH RATE DISCHARGE

PERFORMANCE.

REQUIRES PERIODIC EQUALIZING AND/OR

BOOST CHARGING

REQUIRES PERIODIC TOPPING UP

ANTIMONY POISONING LEADS TO SLOWLY

DECLINING VOLTAGE PROFILE AND
INCREASING WATER LOSS AS THE BATTERY
AGES.

4 February 2010

TUBULAR

Are all the Tubulars

Same ??

The answer is an emphatic

4 February 2010

NO !!!

Exide OPzS

The Next Generation Tubular Battery

4 February 2010

Exide OPzS
Exide OPzS comes with Heavy Duty DIN standard Spines
HIGH PRESSURE SPINE CASTING IN HADI MACHINES

GRAVITY CAST (1 Bar)

CAST IN LOW PRESSURE (10 Bar)

CAST IN HADI (100 Bar)

Exide has introduced a unique hybrid concept in this country. Low

antimonial positive spine alloy with lead-calcium negative. This together
with the benefit of Hadi casting leads to:
Extremely Corrosion Resistant Positive Alloy
Drastically reduced water loss
4 February 2010

Exide OPzS
Comparative Water Loss study data:
Rate of water loss on float # per
Ah/Cell/21 days at 50oC, 2.4 V/cell

Positive
Spine Alloy

Negative
Grid Alloy

Till late 80

9% Sb

5% Sb

1.10 gms.

Post 90

5% Sb

2.5% Sb

0.55 gms

Exide OPzS

2.5% Sb

0.1% Ca
0.3% Sn

0.18 gms

# Test Specification as per RDSO low maintenance battery requirements

In the absolute worst case too, cells do not require topping up in 1 year!!
4 February 2010

Exide OPzS
The Exide OPzS range of Tubular Cells
Now come in transparent, tough StyreneAcrylonitrile (SAN) boxes clear as glass.
Easy to monitor State-of-Health !!
Additional Features
Low foot print

Ceramic Dome Filter

Plastic Encapsulated
Strap for corrosion
resistance

Insulated Connectors
4 February 2010

PLANTE PLATE DESIGN

4 February 2010

EXIDE PLANTE

4 February 2010

PLANTE

MORPHOLOGY

CAST OF 99.99%
PURE LEAD

LAMELLAR GRID
STRUCTURE
ENHANCED
ACTIVE SURFACE
AREA

INTEGRAL GRID
ACTIVE MATERIAL
4 February 2010

PLANTE

HANGING PLATE DESIGN

POSITIVE PLATE HANGING FROM
CONTAINER SHOULDER

POSITIVE PLATE
HANGING FROM
CONTAINER SHOULDER
TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR
CREEP GROWTH
INEVITABLE TO PURE
LEAD POSITIVE

GAP BETWEEN POSITIVE PLATE

BOTTOM & MUD RIB FOR CREEP
GROWTH ALLOWANCE
4 February 2010

Integral Grid-Active Material

1. In case of loss of active material due to shedding, next

layer of pure lead is converted to lead-dioxide thereby
ensuring no loss of capacity feature of continuous
regeneration of active material.
2. Across its life time Plante cells therefore perform at full
capacity there is no aging unlike all other lead-acid
products.
3. No aging factor required for capacity calculation

4 February 2010

FLOAT CURRENT VS SERVICE LIFE

Plante
10 A

FLOAT CURRENT

Low Sb Tubular

SbCdVRLA
NormalTubular

10yrs

SERVICE LIFE
4 February 2010

20 Yrs.

PLANTE

NO LOSS IN CAPACITY

CONTINUOUS REGENERATION OF ACTIVE MATERIAL

TOTAL LEAD-DI-OXIDE CONTENT FAIRLY
CONSTANT THROUGHOUT THE LIFE
SPAN INDICATING A CONSTANT
CAPACITY OUTPUT

CAPACITY DEGRADATION OVER LIFE

TUBULAR

20%

1.25

VRLA

20%

1.25

Ni-Cd

20%

1.25

PLANTE
4 February 2010

AGEING FACTOR

ZERO

1.00

PLANTE

FAST RECHARGE

HIGH SURFACE AREA

HIGH CHARGING RATES POSSIBLE.

CHARGING AT 0.25 C10 AMPS UPTO
2.4 VOLTS PER CELL WITHOUT
PROBLEM

NO ANTIMONY POISONING

HIGH FLOAT POTENTIAL POSSIBLE.

4 February 2010

PLANTE

LONG LIFE

VERY THICK POSITIVE ENOUGH CUSHION AGAINST

CORROSSION

LOW SUSCEPTIBILITY TO OVERCHARGE

DUE TO
VERY LOW EQUILIBRIUM FLOAT CURRENT OF
THE ORDER OF 1 mA/AH UNDER NORMAL FLOAT
CONDITION

LOW FLOAT CURRENT AND HIGH PURITY OF LEAD

LOWERS THE CORROSSION RATE

LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 15 TO 20 YEARS PLUS.

4 February 2010

PLANTE

EASY MONITORING

TRANSPARENT SAN (STYRENE ACRYLONITRILE)

CONTAINER EASY VISUAL MONITORING OF CELL INSIDE

ANY ODD BEHAVIOUR CAN BE MONITORED AND

CORRECTED MUCH BEFORE IT SHOWS UP AS A
FAILURE MODE

EASY CLEANING OF CELLS FROM UNAVODABLE

SLUDGE DEPOSITION TO AVOID SHORT CIRCUIT
AND RELATED TROUBLES

RELIABILITY - REITERATED
4 February 2010

VRLA DESIGN

4 February 2010

WHAT IS VRLA ?

SEALED
CAN BE KEPT
IN ANY ORIENTATION.
NO TOPPING-UP REQUIRED
EVER MAINTENANCE-FREE.

A ZERO EMISSION PRODUCT.

BATTERY COMES CHARGED.
COMPACT.

4 February 2010

Advantage VRLA

1. No topping up ever
2. No emission of fumes
3. Supplied factory charged
4. Excellent high rate discharge performance
5. Excellent charge acceptance
6. Excellent deep cycle life
7. Low Self-discharge
8. Designed to suit float and moderate cyclic duty
9. Compact low foot print
10. Long Life

4 February 2010

The Oxygen Recombination Cycle

FLOODED SYSTEM
eCharger

O2

Charger

H2

H+

VRLA
SYSTEM

e-

H+

O2
H+

H+

O2
ELECTROLYTE - H2SO4

2Pb + O2= 2PbO

PbO + H2SO4
= PbSO4 + H2O
PbSO4 + 2e- + 2H+
= Pb + H2SO4

ABSORPTIVE SEPERATOR - ELECTROLYTE

MECHANISM DURING CHARGING

At +ve Electrode
H2O=1/2O2 + 2H+ +2e-

At -ve Electrode

2Pb + O2= 2PbO

(Exothermic Reaction)
PbO + H2SO4 = PbSO4 + H2O
(Exothermic Reaction)
PbSO4 + 2e- + 2H+ = Pb + H2SO4 (Electrochemical Reaction)
RECOMBINATION MECHANISM OF VRLA CELLS WITH MICRO GLASS
SEPERATORS IN COMPARISON WITH FLOODED CELLS

4 February 2010

Venting Arrangement Of A VRLA Battery

4 February 2010

4 February 2010

VRLA Limitations

1. No means of state-of-charge assessment

2. Vulnerable to prolonged operation at high temperature
3. Sensitive to both under and over charge
4. Recovery from over discharged condition is difficult
5. Can have a catastrophic failure in case of charger
malfunction and/or abnormally high temperature
operation a failure mode known as thermal runaway
4 February 2010

SIZING FACTORS

PARAMETERS

LOAD CURRENT
LOAD DURATION
PRIMARY

NOMINAL SYSTEM VOLTAGE

MINIMUM SYSTEM VOLTAGE

MINIMUM OPERATING TEMPERATURE

DESIGN MARGIN
AGEING FACTOR

FACTORS SPECIFIC TO APPLICATION

4 February 2010

SECONDARY

Selection Parameters

SELECTION OF THE RIGHT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY AND

DESIGN PRECEDES THE SIZING EXERCISE

DEPTH OF DISCHARGE
FREQUENCY OF DISCHARGE
PARAMETERS
TO BE
CONSIDERED
FOR SELECTION

APPLICATION CRITICALITY

CHARGING CONSTRAINT
MAINTENANCE CONSTRAINT

OPERATING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

4 February 2010

Selection Summary

APPLICATION
ATTRIBUTE

HIGH

MODERATE

LOW

DEPTH OF
DISCHARGE

TUBULAR

TUBULAR /
VRLA

VRLA /
PLANTE

FREQUENCY OF
DISCHARGE

TUBULAR

TUBULAR /
PLANTE

PLANTE /
VRLA

CRITICALITY OF
APPLICATION

PLANTE

PLANTE /
TUBULAR

TUBULAR /
VRLA

CHARGER
CONSTRAINT ON
VOLTAGE

TUBULAR

MAINTENACE
CONSTRAINT

VRLA

PLANTE /
TUBULAR

PLANTE /
TUBULAR

OPERATING TEMP.

TUBULAR /
PLANTE

PLANTE / VRLA

VRLA

4 February 2010

BATTERY SIZING

4 February 2010

Sizing Parameters
DUTY CYCLE LOAD CURRENT
AND DURATION PATTERN

APPLICATION
PARAMETERS

OPERATING DC BUS VOLTAGE

WINDOW MAXIMUM & MINIMUM
DC BUS VOLTAGES
MINIMUM AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
DESIGN MARGIN

CHARGING VOLTAGE REQUIREMENT

BATTERY
PARAMETERS

DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS
FACTOR FOR AGING PHENOMENON
FACTOR FOR STATE-OF-CHARGE IF
REQUIRED

4 February 2010

STEP 1 : CALCULATION OF NUMBER OF CELLS

CHARGING
VOLTAGE PER CELL
VC

MIN. DC BUS
VOLTAGE VMIN.

MAX. DC BUS
VOLTAGE VMAX

VMAX / VC

NUMBER OF CELLS
VDC / V

NOMINAL VOLTAGE
PER CELL, V
4 February 2010

END OF
DISCHARGE
VOLTAGE
(ECV)

NOMINAL DC BUS
VOLTAGE VDC

STEP 2 : CALCULATION OF BASIC CAPACITY

END OF DISCHARGE
VOLTAGE

BACK-UP DURATION
REQUIRED

TYPE OF CELL
SELECTED

CAPACITY FACTOR
F

LOAD CURRENT, I

BASIC RATED CAPACITY OF THE CELL

C=IXF
4 February 2010

STEP 3 : CALCULATION OF FINAL CAPACITY

BASIC RATED CAPACITY OF THE CELL

C=IXF
FACTOR FOR AGING,
A

DESIGN MARGIN, D

FACTOR FOR
TEMPERATURE
CORRECTION, KT

STATE-OF-CHARGE /
FLOAT CHARGE
CORRECTION
FACTOR, Z *

FINAL CALCULATED CAPACITY

CF = C X A X D X K T X Z
*

REQUIRED ONLY FOR Ni-Cd BATTERY

4 February 2010

Multi-step Load

P = PERIOD
S = SECTION

Sn = Pn

P=S

CS =

(A

P=1

S=N

C = MAX. CS

S=1

4 February 2010

P-1)

X FT

SOFTWARE ALGORITHM

ENVIRONMENT
PARAMETERS

SYSTEM
PARAMETERS

LOAD
PARAMETERS

BATTERY TYPE
SELECTED

USERS
CONFIRMATION

BATTERY SIZING
TOOLKIT
NO. OF
CELL

SELECTED
MODEL

SIZING CALCULATION

PRODUCT CATALOGUE

GUARANTEED TECH PARTUCULARS

O & M MANUAL

STANDARD LAYOUT

4 February 2010

THANK YOU

4 February 2010