Charging of alkaline storage batteries
AssigneeVarta Batterie Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsHans-Kurt Kothe, Gunter Strasen
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Abstract
Changes in temperature during charging are sensed and the charging current increased when temperature rises and decreased when temperature falls. Charging continues to a potential limit which is independent of temperature.
Claims7
The method of charging a gas-tight storage battery which is subject to cell temperature changes during charging comprising the steps of:
- sensing the changes in temperature,
- controlling the intensity of the charging current progressively in the same sense as the temperature changes, so that the charging current becomes progressively more intense at higher temperatures and progressively less intense at lower temperatures, and
- terminating the charging in response to attainment by the battery potential of a predetermined potential and independently of temperature.
Charging apparatus for a gas-tight storage battery which is subject to cell temperature changes during charging, comprising:
- means for producing battery charging current of controllable intensity;
- means for sensing the cell temperature changes and controlling the current intensity progressively in the same sense as the cell temperature changes, whereby the current intensity becomes progressively higher at higher temperatures and progressively lower at lower temperatures;
- and
- means for terminating the charging in response to attainment of a predetermined potential by the battery.
Method of charging gas-tight storage batteries with a charging current which depends upon cell temperature up to a predetermined terminal charging potential, wherein
- the charging current is at least a 20-hour charging current at a cell temperature of -10.degree. C., increases with a temperature coefficient of approximately 0.18 amperes per degree during increase of cell temperature to 45.degree. C., while decreasing with substantially the same temperature coefficient during decrease of cell temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.