US 4,072,799 AGranted

Vent plug system for batteries

AssigneeESB Incorporated

InventorsJeffrey S. Leeson, Joseph F. Szabo

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Abstract

A vent system for an electric storage battery designed to remove the electrolyte which is entrained in the gases that are vented from the particular battery cell to the atmosphere through the vent plug assembly. The liquid gas separation feature has a primary inlet on the sidewall of the vent plug at its uppermost position that still remains in the battery cell, a drain opening in the lowermost portion of the vent plug, and baffles arranged inside the vent plug assembly such that the fluid entering the primary inlet flows in a horizontal direction and is scrubbed to remove the electrolyte. The electrolyte is then collected and returns to the cell through the drain opening while the scrubbed gases eventually reach the atmosphere. The liquid gas separation system can be used in a vent plug having a low profile for use on maintenance free batteries as well as on non-maintenance free batteries.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A vent plug for insertion into a vent well of an individual cell of a battery, wherein said vent plug is designed to separate the gaseous and liquid phases of the fluid passing through it from the particular battery cell, said vent plug comprising:

a. a body portion for insertion into the vent well, said body portion having a predetermined length;
b. a bottom portion connected to the lower portion of the body portion;
c. at least one drain opening located in or near the bottom portion;
d. cap means secured over the upper portion of the body portion, thereby defining an internal enclosure inside the body portion;
e. inlet means for directing fluid flow from the battery cell into the internal enclosure in a horizontal direction and at a point above the drain opening;
f. discharge port means located in the upper portion of the vent plug, for permitting fluid within the internal enclosure to enter the atmosphere;
and
g. vertical baffle means having at least a portion of said means opposite the inlet means, so that as fluid flows into the vent plug enclosure through the inlet opening its flow is diverted by said baffle means, thereby causing the liquid phase of the fluid to be separated from the gaseous phase, with the gaseous phase entering the atmosphere through the discharge port means and the liquid phase returning to the particular cell through the drain opening.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.