You are on page 1of 25

VTX 3.

1
September 2010

Vantex
Technical manual
Vantex
XHP Range
Contents

1. Introduction 3 7. Battery charging 14


7.1 Charging methods 14
2. Benefits of the Vantex battery 4 7.2 Charge acceptance 15

3. Battery applications XHP Range 5




7.3 Charge efficiency
7.4 Temperature effects
16
16

4. Principles of the oxygen 8. Special operating factors 17


recombination cycle 6 8.1 Electrical abuse 17
8.2 Mechanical abuse 17
5. Construction features of the Vantex
battery 8 9. Battery sizing principles in
5.1 Plate assembly 8 stationary applications 18
5.2 Separation 9 9.1 The voltage window 18
5.3 Electrolyte 9 9.2 Discharge profile 18
5.4 Terminal pillars 9 9.3 Temperature 18
5.5 Venting system 9 9.4 State of charge or recharge time 19
5.6 Cell container 9 9.5 Ageing 19
9.6 Floating effect 19
6. Operating features 10
6.1 Capacity 10 10. Installation and operating
6.2 Cell voltage 10 instructions 20
6.3 Internal resistance 10 10.1 Receiving the shipment 20
6.4 Effect of temperature 10.2 Storage 20
on performance 11 10.3 Installation 21
6.5 Short-circuit values 11 10.4 Commissioning 21
6.6 Open circuit loss 12 10.5 Charging in service 22
6.7 Cycling 12 10.6 Periodic maintenance 22
6.8 Water consumption 13
6.9 Gas evolution 13 11. Maintenance of Vantex batteries
in service 23

12. Disposal and recycling 24

ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


1. Introduction

The nickel-cadmium battery is the most reliable This publication details the design and operating
battery system available in the market today. Its characteristics of the Alcad Vantex battery to
unique features enable it to be used in applications enable a successful battery system to be achieved.
and environments untenable for other widely A battery which in normal application requires only
available battery systems. With the advent of the one topping-up during its entire service life but
valve-regulated lead acid battery a new concept has all the well-proven advantages of the nickel-
was available to the customer, a battery that did cadmium pocket plate battery.
not require water replenishment. However, this
was obtained at the cost of reliability. To give the
customer a highly reliable battery of zero or ultra-
low maintenance Alcad has developed the Vantex
low maintenance pocket plate battery.

Page 3 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


1 introduction
2. Benefits of the Vantex battery

Complete reliability High resistance to electrical abuse


Does not suffer from the sudden death failure due Vantex will survive abuse which would destroy a
to internal corrosion associated with other battery lead acid battery, for example overcharging, deep
technologies. discharging, and high ripple currents (see section
8.1 Electrical abuse).
Long cycle life
The Vantex battery has a long cycle life even when
Simple installation
the charge/discharge cycle involves 100 % depth of Vantex can be used with a wide range of stationary
discharge (see section 6.7 Cycling). and mobile applications as it produces no corrosive
vapors, uses corrosion-free polypropylene containers
Exceptionally long lifetime and has a simple bolted connector assembly
A lifetime in excess of twenty years is achieved system (see section 10 Installation and operating
by Vantex in many applications, and at elevated instructions).
temperatures it has a lifetime unthinkable for other
widely available battery technologies.
Well-proven pocket plate construction
Alcad has nearly 100 years of manufacturing and
Low maintenance application experience with respect to the nickel-
With its special recombination separator and cadmium pocket plate product, and this expertise
generous electrolyte reserve, Vantex reduces the has been built into the twenty-plus years design life
need for topping-up with water. Only one topping- of the Vantex product (see section 5 Construction
up operation is necessary during its entire service features of the Vantex battery).
life.
Extended storage
Wide operating temperature range When stored in the filled and charged state in
Vantex has an electrolyte which allows it to have normal condition, Vantex can be stored for up to
a normal operating temperature of from - 20C 2 years (see section 10 Installation and operating
to + 40C (- 4F to +104F), and accept extreme instructions).
temperatures, ranging from as low as -40C
to + 70C (-40F to +158F) (see section 5.3
Environmentally safe
Electrolyte). Alcad operates a dedicated recycling center to
recover the nickel, cadmium, steel and plastic used in
Fast recharge the battery (see section 12 Disposal and recycling).
Vantex can be recharged at high currents which
allow very fast recharge times to be achieved.
Low life-cycle cost
When all the factors of lifetime, low maintenance
Resistance to mechanical abuse requirements, simple installation and storage and
Vantex is designed to have the mechanical strength resistance to abuse are taken into account, Vantex
required to withstand all the harsh treatment becomes the most cost effective solution for many
associated with transportation over difficult terrain professional applications.
(see section 8.2 Mechanical abuse).

Page 4 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


2 Benefits
3. Battery applications

n UPS Vantex batteries are designed to supply the


n Process control ideal low maintenance power backup solution
n Emergency systems for installations that demand maximum
reliability and optimum TCO (total cost of
n Security systems
ownership) while operating for long periods
n Offshore oil and gas at high ambient temperatures. Vantex is
n Switchgear especially suited for the oil and gas, utility and
electricity industries.

Page 5 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


3 Applications
4. Principles of the oxygen recombination cycle

In a conventional flooded electrolyte pocket During the charging process evolution of oxygen
plate nickel-cadmium battery water is lost from begins to occur a little before the positive plate
the battery on overcharge due to the following reaches its fully charged state and then becomes
reactions: the main reaction when the fully charged condition
is reached. However, the cadmium negative plate
At the positive plate
has a better charge acceptance than the positive
40H- 2H20 + 02 + 4e- plate and hydrogen is not evolved until this plate is
(Oxygen evolution) virtually fully charged.

At the negative plate The Vantex battery has been designed with an excess
of cadmium negative material to enhance this effect
4H20 + 4e- 2H2 + 40H-
and ensure that oxygen evolution commences prior
(Hydrogen evolution) to hydrogen evolution.

This corresponds to a theoretical loss of 36 g of The oxygen which is produced at the positive
water for 107 Ah of overcharge i.e. 0.335 cm3 per plate surface is collected by the special porous
Ah. Hence a conventional cell requires periodic separator and thus not allowed to escape from
addition of water. The frequency of this operation the region between the plates. Some displacement
depends upon the cumulative amount of charge of electrolyte within the separator occurs, thus
received and the operating temperature. generating extra unfilled pores for the diffusion of
oxygen directly to the adjacent cadmium negative
plate.

Page 6 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


4 the oxygen recombination cycle
As soon as the oxygen reaches the negative plate it The rate at which oxygen is produced on
reacts either chemically: overcharge is directly related to the charge current
once the positive plate has reached a full state of
2Cd + 02 + 2H20 2Cd(OH)2 (A)
charge. The charge current in turn is controlled
or electrochemically: by the charging voltage level set on the charging
02 + 2H20 + 4e- 40H- (B) equipment and the ambient temperature. By
controlling the charge voltage high efficiencies
Reaction (A) has the effect of chemically discharging
can be obtained and in this way the rate of water
some of the cadmium to cadmium hydroxide. The
loss can be reduced to a fraction of that from
current passing through the battery is used to
conventional batteries.
recharge this material.
Though the efficiency of this oxygen recombination
Reaction (B) consumes the current directly. Thus
is high it will never achieve 100 % as small
hydrogen evolution at the negative plate is
quantities of oxygen will escape from the separator
suppressed because the preferred reaction is oxygen
before reaching and reacting at the negative plate.
recombination. Hence the total process of oxygen
Thus a small quantity of hydrogen will ultimately be
generation and consumption is referred to as an
generated and hence a low rate of water loss will
oxygen recombination cycle.
occur. The battery is designed to accommodate this
The efficiency of this oxygen recombination process by provision of a generous electrolyte reserve both
depends upon the relationship between the rate above and around each cell pack within the battery.
at which oxygen is produced and the rate at which This ensures a long service life without the need to
it can be collected and transferred to the negative replenish with water too often.
plate surface. The rate of collection and transfer of
oxygen is controlled by the separator type and the
cell design.

Page 7 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


4 the oxygen recombination cycle
5. Construction features of the Vantex battery

process. These pockets are mechanically linked


The construction of the Alcad Vantex
together, cut to the size corresponding to the plate
cell is based upon the Alcad pocket plate
width and compressed to the final plate dimension.
technology but with special features to
This process leads to a component which is not
enhance the low water usage by means of
only mechanically robust but also retains its active
the recombination cycle.
material within a steel boundary which promotes
conductivity and minimizes electrode swelling.
5.1 Plate assembly These plates are then welded to a current carrying
The nickel-cadmium cell consists of two groups of bus bar which further ensures the mechanical and
plates, one containing nickel hydroxide (the positive electrical stability of the product.
plate) and the other containing cadmium hydroxide
The alkaline electrolyte does not react with steel,
(the negative plate).
which means that the supporting structure of the
The active materials of the Alcad Vantex pocket Vantex battery stays intact and unchanged for the
plate are retained in pockets formed from nickel- life of the battery. There is no corrosion and no risk
plated steel strips double-perforated by a patented of sudden death.

Terminal cover
In line with EN 50272-2 (safety) with IP2 level

Flame-arresting vent

Terminal pillars

Plate group bus bar

Plate tab

Polypropylene cell container

Polypropylene fibrous separator

Pocket plate

Cells are welded together to form rugged blocks


up to 6 depending on cell size and type.

Page 8 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


5 Construction features
5.2 Separation 5.4 Terminal pillars
The separator is a key feature of the Alcad Vantex Short terminal pillars are welded to the plate bus
battery. It is a polypropylene fibrous material bars using a well-proven battery construction
which has been used and proven by Alcad in the method. These posts are manufactured from steel
Vantage ultra-low maintenance product over more bar, internally threaded for bolting on connectors
than 20 years and has been further developed for and are nickel-plated.
this product to give the features required. Using
The terminal pillar to lid seal is provided by a
this separator, the distance between the plates
compressed visco-elastic sealing surface held in
is carefully controlled to give the necessary gas
place by compression lock washers. This assembly is
retention to provide the level of recombination
designed to provide satisfactory sealing throughout
required. By providing a large spacing between
the life of the product.
the positive and negative plates and a generous
quantity of electrolyte between plates, the
possibility of thermal runaway, a problem with 5.5 Venting system
VRLA cells, is eliminated. Vantex is fitted with a flame-arresting flip-top
vent to simplify topping-up and is supplied with a
5.3 Electrolyte transportation plug to ensure safe transportation.

The electrolyte used in Vantex, which is a solution


5.6 Cell container
of potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide,
is optimized to give the best combination of Vantex is built up using the well-proven Alcad block
performance, life and energy efficiency over a wide battery construction. The tough polypropylene
operational temperature range. containers are welded together by heat sealing and
the assembly of the blocks is completed by a
The concentration is such as to allow the cell to be
clip-on terminal cover which gives protection to
operated to temperature extremes as low as
IP2X according to EN 60529 standard for the
- 20C (- 4F) and as high as + 50C (+122F). This
conductive parts.
allows the very high temperature fluctuations found
in certain remote regions to be accommodated. For
continuous temperatures below - 20C (- 4F) a
special high density electrolyte can be used. It is an
important consideration of Vantex, and indeed all
nickel-cadmium batteries, that the electrolyte does
not change during charge and discharge. It retains
its ability to transfer ions between the cell plates
irrespective of the charge level. In most applications
the electrolyte will retain its effectiveness for the life
of the battery and will never need replacing.

Page 9 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


5 Construction features
6. Operating features

6.1 Capacity 6.2 Cell voltage


The Vantex battery capacity is rated in ampere- The cell voltage of nickel-cadmium cells results from
hours (Ah) and is the quantity of electricity at the electrochemical potentials of the nickel and
+20C (+68F) which it can supply for a 5 hour the cadmium active materials in the presence of
discharge to 1.0 V/cell after being fully charged. This the potassium hydroxide electrolyte. The nominal
figure is in agreement with the IEC 62259 standard. voltage is 1.2 V.
According to the IEC 62259, 0.2 C5 A is also
expressed as 0.2 It A. The reference test current (It) is 6.3 Internal resistance
expressed as:
The internal resistance of a cell varies with the type
Cn Ah of service and the state of charge and is, therefore,
It A =
1h difficult to define and measure accurately.
where: The most practical value for normal applications
Cn is the rated capacity declared by the is the discharge voltage response to a change in
manufacturer in ampere-hours (Ah), discharge current.
and
n is the time base in hours (h) for which the rated
The internal resistance of a Vantex cell depends on
capacity is declared. the performance type and at normal temperature
has the values given in the product literature for
In practice, Vantex is used in floating conditions and fully charged cells.
so the tabular data is based upon cell performance
after several months of floating. This eliminates For lower states of charge the values increase. For
certain correction factors which need to be used cells 50 % discharged the internal resistance is
when sizing batteries with conventional fully about 20 % higher, and when 90 % discharged, it
charged open cell data (see section 9 Battery sizing is about 80 % higher. The internal resistance of a
principles). fully discharged cell has very little meaning.
Reducing the temperature also increases the
internal resistance, and at 0C (+32F), the internal
resistance is about 40 % higher.
The internal resistance of a block battery cell
depends on the performance type.

Page 10 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


6 Operating Features
6.4 Effect of temperature on given in a graphical form in Figure 1(a) L type and,
performance Figure 1(b) M type for operating temperature
- 20C to + 40C (- 4F to +104F).
Variations in ambient temperature affect the
performance of Vantex and this needs to be taken
into account when sizing the battery. 6.5 Short-circuit values
Low temperature operation has the effect The typical short-circuit value in amperes for a
of reducing the performance but the higher Vantex cell is approximately 6 times the ampere-
temperature characteristics are similar to those at hour capacity for an L type, 11 times the ampere-
normal temperatures. The effect of temperature is hour capacity for an M type. The Vantex battery is
more marked at higher rates of discharge. designed to withstand a short-circuit current of this
The factors which are required in sizing a battery to magnitude for many minutes without damage.
compensate for temperature variations are
De-rating factor
1.2

1.0
5 hour rate

0.8

1 hour rate
0.6

0.4
Typical de-rating factors for published
performance data for cells in floating applications
0.2
-20C -10C 0C +10C +20C +30C +40C
-4F +14F +32F +50F +68F +86F +104F
Temperature

Figure1(a): Temperature de-rating factors for L type cell for cell final voltage 1.00 V.

De-rating factor
1.1

1.0
5 hour rate
0.9

1 hour rate
0.8

0.7
30 min rate

0.6

0.5
Typical de-rating factors for published
performance data for cells in floating applications
0.4
-20C -10C 0C +10C +20C +30C +40C
-4F +14F +32F +50F +68F +86F +104F
Temperature

Figure 1(b): Typical de-rating factors for M type cell for cell final voltage 1.00 V.

Page 11 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


6 Operating Features
6.6 Open circuit loss 6.7 Cycling
The state of charge of Vantex on open circuit Vantex is a low maintenance product and therefore
slowly decreases with time due to self-discharge. In is used generally in stationary and not continuous
practice this decrease is relatively rapid during the cycling applications. Nevertheless, it is designed
first two weeks but then stabilizes to about 2 % per using conventional pocket plate electrode
month at + 20C (+ 68F). technology and has therefore an equivalent cycling
capability to the standard product.
The self-discharge characteristics of a nickel-
cadmium cell are affected by the temperature. At If Vantex is used in a deep cycling application which
low temperatures the charge retention is better requires a fast recharge, there will be significant
than at normal temperature and so the open circuit gas evolved and the low maintenance properties
loss is reduced. However, the self-discharge is of the product will be severely reduced. However,
significantly increased at higher temperatures. there are cycling applications where Vantex can be
beneficial. This will depend on the frequency and
The open circuit loss for Vantex for the standard
depth of discharge involved.
temperature and the extremes of the normal
operating range is shown in Figure 2 for a one year
period.
Percentage of initial capacity (%)
100
0C (+32F)
90

80

70
+20C (+68F)
+40C (+104F)
60

50
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Open circuit period (days)

Figure 2: Typical open circuit loss variation with time.

Page 12 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


6 Operating Features
6.8 Water consumption 6.9 Gas evolution
The Vantex battery works on the oxygen The gas evolution is a function of the amount
recombination principle and therefore has a much of water electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen
reduced water consumption. In practice, for the which is not involved in the recombination cycle.
recommended charging voltages, Vantex has a The electrolysis of 1 cm3 of water produces about
level of recombination of more than 90 %. This 1865 cm3 of gas mixture and this gas mixture is in
compares to the level of recombination found in the proportion of 2/3 hydrogen and 1/3 oxygen.Thus
equivalent vented pocket plate cells of 30 % to the electrolysis of 1 cm3 of water produces about
35 %. Thus Vantex has a water usage reduced by a 1243 cm3 of hydrogen.
factor of up to 10 times of that of an open flooded
As stated in section 6.8, under normal
cell. This means that at suitable charging voltages,
recommended float conditions Vantex has a
Vantex will need only one topping-up operation
recombination level of more than 90 % and so the
during its entire service life.
amount of water which is electrolyzed into gas is
However, not all needs are the same for water small. Typically a Vantex cell will electrolyze about
replenishment under different and more difficult 0.002 cm3 of water per Ah of cell capacity per day.
charging conditions. This value will be smaller or larger depending on
the float voltage value. Thus a typical value of gas
emission would be 4.5 cm3 per Ah of cell capacity
per day, or 3 cm3 of hydrogen per Ah of cell
capacity per day.

Page 13 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


6 Operating Features
7. Battery charging

In order to ensure that the low maintenance 7.1 Charging methods


properties of the Vantex battery are achieved, it is
Vantex batteries may be charged quickly and simply
necessary to control the charge input to the battery
by the following methods:
to minimize the rate of water loss during the life of
the product. a) Two level constant potential charging
The initial stage of two-rate constant potential
It is important therefore that the recommended
charging consists of a first charging stage to a
charge conditions are complied with. However,
maximum voltage of 1.45 0.01 V/cell.
Vantex has a high technology, low maintenance
concept in allowing the possibility of replenishment Alternatively, if a faster rate of recharge is required,
of water in severe applications where excessive a voltage limit of 1.55 V/cell with a current limit
water loss is unavoidable. of 0.1 C5 A can be used. However, if frequent
recharges are required this will increase the rate of
water loss and gas generation.
After this first stage the charger should be switched
to a second maintenance stage at a float voltage of
1.43 0.01 V/cell. After a prolonged mains failure
the first stage should be reapplied manually or
automatically.
b) Single level float charging
Vantex batteries are float charged at 1.43 0.01 V/cell
from a fully discharged condition to a high state of
charge. This is detailed in section 7.2 and about
90 % of the capacity will be available after 15
hours of charge even at + 40C (+104F).

Page 14 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


7 Battery Charging
7.2 Charge acceptance Vantex, 1.43 V/cell and 1.45 V/cell, during the first
30 hours of charge from a fully discharged state.
The performance data sheets for Vantex are based
upon several months floating and so are for fully If the application has a particular recharge time
float charged cells. requirement then this must be taken into account
when calculating the battery.
A discharged cell will take a certain time to achieve
this and Figure 3 gives the capacity available for the
two principal charging voltages recommended for
% of the rated capacity
100%

90%
% of the rated capacity
80%
100%

70%
90%

60%
80%

50%
70%

40%
60%

30%
50%

20%
40%
1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
10%
30% 1.43 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.2C5
0%
20%
0 5 10 15 20 1.45 V per25cell at +20C (+68F)
30 0.1C5 35
10% 1.43 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
Charging time (hours) 1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.2C5
0%
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Charging time (hours)

*For charging voltages higher than 1.45 V/cell, a current limit of 0.1 C5 A is recommended

Figure 3(a): Available capacity after constant voltage charge


Available charge current 0.1C5 A or 0.2C5 A, for L type cell.

% of the rated capacity


100%

90%
% of the rated capacity
80%
100%

70%
90%

60%
80%

50%
70%

40%
60%

30%
50%

20%
40%
1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
10%
30% 1.43 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.2C5
0%
20%
0 5 10 15 20 1.45 V per25cell at +20C (+68F)
30 0.1C5 35
10% 1.43 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.1C5
Charging time (hours) 1.45 V per cell at +20C (+68F) 0.2C5
0%
*For charging voltages higher than 1.45 V/cell, a current limit of 0.1 C5 A is recommended
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Figure 3(b): Available capacity after constant
Charging voltage charge
time (hours)
Available charge current 0.1C5 A or 0.2C5 A, for M type cell.

Page 15 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


7 Battery Charging
7.3 Charge efficiency As the temperature is reduced, then the reverse
occurs and it is recommended that, for application
The charge efficiency of Vantex is dependent on the
where the ambient temperature falls below
state of charge of the battery and the temperature.
10C (50F) for sustained periods, temperature
For much of its charge profile it is recharged at
compensation of the charge voltage should be used
a high level of efficiency. In general, at states of
to maintain the end of charge current at a constant
charge less than 80 % the charge efficiency remains
value.
high, but as the battery approaches a fully charged
condition, the charging efficiency falls off. When temperature compensation is used the
change in voltage required per cell, or temperature
compensation, should be between -2 mV and
7.4 Temperature effects -3.5 mV per C (-1.12 mV and -1.96 mV per F).
As the temperature increases, then the The recommended value per cell is -2.5 mV per C
electrochemical behaviour becomes more active (-1.4 mV per F).
and so, for the same charge voltage, the current If main operation is at high temperature, use -2 mV
at the end of charge increases. This end of charge per C (-1.12 mV per F).
increases in the current helps to compensate
If the fast recharge at low temperature (below -10C
for the variation in charge efficiency at high
(14F) ) is very important, use -3.5 mV per C
temperatures and allows a high state of charge to
(-1.96 mV per F).
be achieved. For this reason it is not needed to
apply temperature compensation of the charge
voltage used for ambient temperatures above 10C
(50F). To minimize water consumption at sustained
operation at high temperatures, temperature
compensation can be used, to reduce the increase
of current at higher temperatures.

Page 16 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


7 Battery Charging
8. Special operating factors

8.1 Electrical abuse 8.2 Mechanical abuse


8.1.1 Ripple effects 8.2.1 Shock loads
The nickel-cadmium battery is tolerant to high ripple The Vantex block battery concept has been tested
from standard charging systems. Vantex accepts to IEC 68-2-29 (bump tests at 5 g, 10 g and 25 g)
ripple currents up to 0.2 C5 A I eff. In general, any and IEC 77 (shock test 3 g), where g = acceleration.
commercially available charger or generator can be
used for commissioning or maintenance charging of
Vantex. 8.2.2 Vibration resistance
The Vantex block battery concept has been tested
to IEC 77 for 2 hours at 1 g, where g = acceleration.
8.1.2 Over-discharge
If more than the designed capacity is taken out of
a battery then it becomes over-discharged. This is 8.2.3 External corrosion
considered to be an abuse situation for a battery Vantex nickel-cadmium cells are manufactured
and should be avoided. in durable polypropylene, all external metal
components are nickel-plated and these
In the case of lead acid batteries this will lead to
components are protected by an anti-corrosion oil
failure of the battery and is unacceptable.
and a rigid plastic cover.
The Vantex battery is designed to make recovery
from this situation possible.

8.1.3 Overcharge
Overcharge is the effect of forcing current through
a battery when it is fully charged. This can be
damaging for a lead acid battery, and due to its
starved electrolyte technology, seriously reduce the
life of a VRLA battery.
In the case of Vantex, with its generous electrolyte
reserve, a small degree of overcharge will not
significantly alter the maintenance period. In the
case of excessive overcharge, water replenishment
is required but there will be no significant effect on
the life of the battery.

Page 17 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


8 Special operating factors
9. B
 attery sizing principles in stationary
applications

There are a number of methods which are used The principle sizing parameters which are of interest
to size nickel-cadmium batteries for stationary are:
floating applications. The method employed by
9.1 The voltage window
Alcad is the IEEE 1115 recommendation which is
accepted internationally. This method takes into This is the maximum voltage and the minimum
account multiple discharges, temperature de-rating, voltage at the battery terminals acceptable for the
performance after floating and the voltage window system. In battery terms, the maximum voltage gives
available for the battery. the voltage which is available to charge the battery,
and the minimum voltage gives the lowest voltage
A significant advantage of the nickel-cadmium
acceptable to the system to which the battery can
battery compared to a lead acid battery, is that it
be discharged. In discharging the nickel-cadmium
can be fully discharged without any inconvenience
battery, the cell voltage should be taken as low as
in terms of life or recharge. Thus, to obtain the
possible in order to find the most economic and
smallest and least costly battery, it is an advantage
efficient battery.
to discharge the battery to the lowest practical
value in order to obtain the maximum energy from
the battery. 9.2 Discharge profile
This is the electrical performance required from the
battery for the application. It may be expressed in
terms of amperes for a certain duration, or it may
be expressed in terms of power, in watts or kW, for
a certain duration. The requirement may be simply
one discharge or many discharges of a complex
nature.

9.3 Temperature
The maximum and minimum temperatures and the
normal ambient temperature will have an influence
on the sizing of the battery. The performance of a
battery decreases with decreasing temperature and
sizing at a low temperature increases the battery
size. Temperature de-rating curves are produced
for all cell types to allow the performance to be
recalculated.

Page 18 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


9 Battery sizing principles
9.4 State of charge or recharge time 9.6 Floating effect
Some applications may require that the battery When a nickel-cadmium cell is maintained at a
shall give a full duty cycle after a certain time after fixed floating voltage over a period of time, there
the previous discharge. The factors used for this is a decrease in the voltage level of the discharge
will depend on the depth of discharge, the rate of curve. This effect begins after one week and
discharge, and the charge voltage and current. A reaches its maximum in about 3 months. It can
requirement for a high state of charge does not only be eliminated by a full discharge/charge cycle,
justify a high charge voltage if the result is a high and it cannot be eliminated by a boost charge.
end of discharge voltage. It is therefore necessary to take this into account
in any calculations concerning batteries in float
applications.
9.5 Ageing
This is used in the IEEE sizing method and the
Some customers require a value to be added to published data for Vantex.
allow for the ageing of the battery over its lifetime.
This may be a value required by the customer, for As the effect of reducing the voltage level is to
example 10 %, or it may be a requirement from reduce the autonomy of the battery, the effect can
the customer that a value is used which will ensure be considered as reducing the performance of the
the service of the battery during its lifetime. The battery and so performance down-rating factors are
value to be used will depend on the discharge rate used.
of the battery and the conditions under which the
discharge is carried out.

Page 19 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


9 Battery sizing principles
10. Installation and operating instructions

Type VTX 1L and VTX 1M 10.1 Receiving the shipment


Unpack the cells immediately upon arrival. Do not
overturn the package. Check the packages and cells
Important recommendations
for transport damage.
n Never allow an exposed flame or spark near
the batteries, particularly while charging. The cells are shipped filled and charged, and are
ready for immediate use.
n Never smoke while performing any
operation on the battery. Transport seals are located under the lid of each
vent and they must be removed prior to charging.
n For protection, wear rubber gloves, long
sleeves, and appropriate splash goggles The cells must never be charged with the plastic
or face shield. transport seals in place as this is dangerous and can
n The electrolyte is harmful to skin and eyes. cause permanent damage.
In the event of contact with skin or eyes,
wash immediately with plenty of water.
If eyes are affected, flush with water, and 10.2 Storage
obtain immediate medical attention.
Store the battery indoors in a dry, clean, cool
n Remove all rings, watches and other items location (0C to + 30C /+ 32F to + 86F) and well
with metal parts before working on the ventilated space on open shelves.
battery.
Storage of a filled battery at temperatures above
n Use insulated tools.
+ 30C (+ 86F) can result in loss of capacity. This
n Avoid static electricity and take measures can be as much as 5 % per 10C (18F) above
for protection against electric shocks. + 30C (+ 86F) per year.
n Discharge any possible static electricity from Do not store in direct sunlight or expose to
clothing and/or tools by touching an earth- excessive heat.
connected part ground before working on
the battery. Vantex cells are supplied filled with electrolyte and
charged, they can be stored in this condition for
maximum 24 months.
Never drain the electrolyte from the cells.

n When deliveries are made in cardboard boxes,


store without opening the boxes.
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.

Page 20 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


10 Installation and operating instructions
10.3 Installation 10.3.4 Electrolyte
When checking the electrolyte levels, a fluctuation
10.3.1 Location
in level between cells is not abnormal and is due to
Install the battery in a dry and clean room. Avoid
the different amounts of gas held in the separators
direct sunlight and heat. The battery will give the
of each cell. The level should be at least 15 mm
best performance and maximum service life when
above the minimum level mark (lower) and there is
the ambient temperature is between +10C to
normally no need to adjust it.
+ 30C (+ 50F to + 86F).
In case of spillage of electrolyte during the
transport, the cells have to be topped up with E22
10.3.2 Ventilation electrolyte.
During the last part of charging, the battery is
Do not top-up prior to initial charge.
emitting gases (oxygen and hydrogen mixture). At
normal float charge the gas evolution is very small
but some ventilation is necessary. 10.4 Commissioning
Note that special regulations for ventilation Verify that the transport seals are removed, the
may be valid in your area depending on the vents are closed, and the ventilation is adequate
application. during this operation. A good commissioning is
important.

10.3.3. Mounting 
n Cells stored up to 6 months:
Verify that cells are correctly interconnected with A commissioning charge is normally not required
the appropriate polarity. The battery connection and the cells are ready for immediate use.
to load should be with nickel-plated cable lugs.
Apply a thin layer of anti-corrosion oil to protect the n Cells stored more than 6 months and up to
connectors and terminals from corrosion. 2 years:

Recommended torques for terminal bolts are: A commissioning charge is necessary:

M6 = 11 1.1 N.m Constant current charge:


(97.4 9.7 lbf.in) Charge for 16 h at 0.1 C5 A recommended (see
M8 = 20 2 N.m Installation and operating instructions sheet).
(177.0 17.7 lbf.in) Note: At the end of charge, the cell voltage may
M10 = 30 3 N.m reach the level of 1.85 V, thus the charger shall be
(265.5 26.6 lbf.in) able to supply such a voltage.
The connectors and terminal should be corrosion- When the charger maximum voltage setting is too
protected by coating with a thin layer of anti- low to supply constant current charging, divide the
corrosion oil. battery into two parts to be charged individually at
Remove the transport seals and close the vent constant current.
plugs.

Page 21 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


10 Installation and operating instructions
Constant voltage charge: Experience will tell the time interval between
topping-up.
Charge for 1.65 V/cell for a minimum of 30 h with
current limited to 0.1 C5 A (see Installation and Note: There is no need to check the electrolyte
operating instructions sheet). density periodically. Interpretation of density
measurements is difficult and could be misleading.
If these methods are not available, then charging
may be carried out at lower voltages, 1.50 V/cell for n Check the charging voltage. In parallel operation,
72 hours minimum. it is of great importance that the recommended
charging voltage remains unchanged. The
Note: For capacity test purposes, the battery
charging voltage should be checked and
has to be charged in accordance with IEC 62259
recorded at least once yearly. If a cell float
section 7 (7.1 & 7.2).
voltage is found below 1.35 V, high-rate charge
recommended to apply to the cell concerned.
10.5 Charging in service n Check every two years that all connectors are
The recommended charging voltages for continuous tight. The connectors and terminal bolts should
parallel operation, with occasional battery be corrosion-protected by coating with a thin
discharges, are: layer of anti-corrosion oil.

n Two level charge: n High water consumption of the battery is usually


caused by improper voltage setting of the
float level:
charger.
1.43 0.01 V/cell
high rate (boost) level:
1.45 0.01 V/cell
n Single level charge:
1.43 0.01 V/cell

10.6 Periodic maintenance


Vantex is a low maintenance battery and requires
the minimum of maintenance.
As a periodic maintenance, the following is
recommended:
n Keep the battery clean using only water. Do not
use a wire brush or solvents of any kind.
n Check visually the electrolyte level.

Never let the level fall below the minimum level


mark (lower). Use only distilled or de-ionized water
to top-up.
Topping-up of the Vantex battery shall be carried
out when battery is fully charged.

Page 22 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


10 Installation and operating instructions
11. Maintenance of Vantex batteries in service

In a correctly designed stationary application, Vantex n Cellelectrolyte levels should be checked visually
requires the minimum of attention. to ensure that the level is above the minimum
and if necessary the cells should be topped-up.
However, it is good practice with any system to carry
Use only distilled or deionized water.
out an inspection of the system once per year or
at the recommended topping-up interval period to n Thebatteries should also be checked for external
ensure that the charging system, the battery and the cleanliness, and if necessary cleaned with a damp
ancillary electronics are all functioning correctly. brush using water. Do not use a wire brush or
solvents of any kind. Vent plugs can be rinsed in
When this system service is carried out, it is
clean water if necessary.
recommended that the following actions should be
taken: n Allthe connectors must be tight. The connectors
and terminal bolts should be corrosion-protected
by coating with a thin layer of anti-corrosion oil.

Page 23 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


11 Maintenance in Service
12. Disposal and recycling

In a world where autonomous sources of electric In partnership with collection agencies worldwide,
power are ever more in demand, Alcad batteries Alcad organizes retrieval from pre-collection points
provide an environmentally responsible answer to and the recycling of spent Alcad batteries. Alcads
these needs. Environmental management lies at collection network can be found on our web site:
the core of Alcads business and we take care to
www.alcad.com
control every stage of a batterys life cycle in terms
of potential impact. Environmental protection is our Ni-Cd batteries must not be discarded as harmless
top priority, from design and production through waste and should be treated carefully in accordance
end-of-life collection, disposal and recycling. with local and national regulations. Your Alcad
representative can assist with further information
Our respect for the environment is complemented
on these regulations and with the overall recycling
by an equal respect for our customers. We aim to
procedure.
generate confidence in our products, not only from
a functional standpoint, but also in terms of the
environmental safeguards that are built into their life
cycle. The simple and unique nature of the battery
components make them readily recyclable and this
process safeguards valuable natural resources for
future generations.

Page 24 ALCAD Vantex TM July 10


12 Disposal and recycling
and become contractual only after written confirmation by Alcad.
Photo credits: Alcad, Alstom/Phillipe GUIGNARD, DigitalVision,

Data in this document are subject to change without notice


VTX 3.1 Edition : September 2010.
Produced in the UK by Arthur Associates Limited

Bob Fleumer, Photodisc.

Alcad Limited

Sweden
Telephone: +46 491 68 100
Facsimile: +46 491 68 110

Alcad Sales Offices

United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1279 772 555
Facsimile: +44 1279 420 696

Middle East
Telephone: +357 25 871 816
Facsimile: +357 25 343 542

Asia
Telephone: +65 6 7484 486
Facsimile: +65 6 7484 639

USA
Telephone: +1 203 234 8333
Facsimile: +1 203 234 8255

www.alcad.com

You might also like