BATTERY ENERGY
AND
Advanced SuperGEL Battery
Technology
By Dr DJ Brown
AGENDA
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Industrial Battery Overview
Customer Technical Requirements
Battery Energy’s SuperGel Battery Programme
- Background
- Purpose
Results
- Float Performance
- Cyclic Performance
- Resistance to abuse
Advantages of SuperGEL
Question and Answer Time
Industrial Battery
Overview
Lead Acid Batteries are under increasing threat from Lithium
(ion) in a number of traditional areas such as standby and
cyclic markets.
Lead Acid batteries have been replaced in newer markets such as
PHEV’s and increasingly in electric bikes.
BATTERY ENERGY VIEW:
Lead acid batteries will continue to dominate if:a) Cost and not energy density is important, and
b) Customer technical and commercial requirements are met or
exceeded.
Customer Technical
Requirements
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Good starting performance
Good float Capability
Excellent cycling performance
Good resistance to abuse
Fast charge capability
PSOC (partial state of charge)
capability
Long life – especially in
inclement conditions
Standard footprint
Rail Market
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Traditionally uses vented traction
batteries or some Ni-Cad for starting
and standby applications.
 Newer requirements are for:
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Minimal maintenance
Passenger compartment security
Long life (>6-8 years)
Cycling at low states of charge
Traction/Utility Market
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Newer requirements are for:
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Fast charge capability
PSOC capability
Opportunity charging
In Traction - Long life/low cost (3-4
years) at double shift
In utilities – Long life/low cost (>10
years service)
Solar/Raps Market
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PSOC capability (20 – 30% daily DOD)
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Good abuse resistance capability
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System predictability
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> than 10 years service life
ONLY ADVANCED SUPERGEL
BATTERIES CAN MEET ALL THESE
REQUIREMENTS.
Battery Energy Gel
Battery Programme
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Started 1992 with CSIRO*.
Worked with them and
others through to mid 2000’s.
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Programme aim – to
develop sealed gel batteries at
similar cost to vented but with
major performance
advantages.
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*Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisiation
SuperGel Technology
The basis for the Battery Energy SuperGel Technology is as
follows:In jar formation – provides lower cost, improved OH&S
and performance advantages
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Optimised paste mixing/curing process
Thick plate technology (5.3mm positive and 3.9mm
negative)
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High fumed Silica concentration (6%)
Optimised material selection process (VRLA lead,
corrugated separators)
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GEL PRODUCTS INTRODUCED COMMERCIALLY 1996
Gel Programme
Achievements
Battery Energy has developed a sealed SuperGel
battery with high conversion of active material
in formation
The final products are characterised by:-
a)High degree of Ah efficiency (102 – 103%)
b)Capable of PSOC operation over long periods of
charge/discharge cycles with minimal
overcharge. Starts out at 101%, probably
102% at end of life
PSOC Example
120
Regime 3
Regime 1
SoC / %
100
Regime 2
80
60
40
20
0
PSoC cycle no.
Parameters:
- PSoC window
- charge rate
- battery temperature - battery condition
- conditioning charge
Float Performance
Characterised by:- Very low float currants
- Good high rate performance
- Typically 2-3 times longer life
on accelerated tests compared
to AGM
Battery Energy
SuperGEL Float Currents
Cell Voltages
Operating
Temperature
Degrees C°
2.25
25
25
110
460
1500
35
60
210
700
2000
45
125
520
1300
3050
2.3
2.35
2.4
Per 100Ah in mA
Cyclic Performance (1)
Initial CSIRO test results 1200 cycles at 100%
DOD – failure due to negative plate. Positive plate
14% corrosion after 800 cycles.
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High temperature tests (45 degrees) 555 (100%
DOD) cycles – no loss of capacity.
Cyclic Performance (2)
PSOC
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ETEC (US) 2001 – fast charge/PSOC 70% DOD (100% 30%) - >1000 cycles. Battery Energy SuperGel is 2-3 times
life of competitor gel products.
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ETEC Current testing – utility profile 80% - 30% SOC ~ 2000
cycles and still operating. AGM batteries 300 – 400 cycles
under same profile.
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Solar – PERU ILZRO – RAPS daily ~ 35% DOD (80% - 45%
SOC) in 240Vstrings. Still operating after 7 years
(requirement 8 years).
Abuse resistance
Overcharge – 2.6V for 8.5
months ~ 3 times longer than
AGM battery.
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Operating in the discharge state
- charge to 2.45V/discharge to
1.75V – battery walks down to
30% SOC. 150 – 200 cycles (PSOC
without equalisation). Recovery
process – 100% capacity X 2.
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Water loss – much less than
other batteries. (See next slide for
example)
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No stratification observed.
Water loss Data
Duty
Battery
type
Tem
p.
(°C)
RWLgev
(ml/Ah/cell/year)
WLcrit
(ml/Ah/cell)
Years to reach
WLcrit (with WLcorr50)
Simulated 1-day RAPS service
CSIRO (o)
25
0.02
3.5
85*
CSIRO (o)
45
0.03
3.5
57*
(m)
25
0.06
3.5
28*
(m)
45
0.19
3.5
9
(n)
25
0.10
2.4
6
(n)
45
0.35
2.4
2
(m)

0.07
3.5
24*
(n)

0.07
2.4
9
Field service
Conclusion
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Advanced SuperGel technology together with
advanced control techniques and further
battery optimisation will lead to a bright future
for industrial lead acid batteries.
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Independent of lithium battery technology
advances
BATTERY ENERGY
Australian Made Products,
Designed for the harshest of
Australian Conditions
Australian owned company,
employing Australians.
QUESTION
TIME?