Battery having improved explosion attenuation material
AssigneeGlobe-Union Inc.
InventorsRichard R. W. Binder, Christopher J. Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fibrous material is inserted into the head space above the cells in a storage battery to attenuate the explosion of combustible gases accumulating therein. The attenuation material preferably includes a proportion of fine fibers effective for attenuation and a proportion of heavier fibers effective for electrolyte management.
Claims15
A lead-acid electric storage battery, comprising:
- a container;
- a plurality of electrode elements disposed within said container;
- a sulfuric acid electrolyte in contact with said electrode elements within said container;
- a vent in communication with said head space for venting gases generated by electrochemical reactions within said battery;
- and
- a porous explosion attentuating material disposed within a head space of said container over said electrode elements, which explosion attenuating material is effective to limit pressure build-up resulting from ignition of said gases within said container and effective to allow movement of said gases and electrolyte within said head space during operation of said battery, wherein said material contains about 0.1 to 5 ml of said electrolyte per gram of said material, and wherein the explosion attenuating material consists essentially of about 10 to 90 wt. % of first polypropylene fibers having a fineness in the range of about 5 to 30 denier, which first fibers are effective to limit said pressure build-up, and 90 to 10 wt. % of second polypropylene fibers having a fineness in the range of about 30 to 100 denier, the second fibers having a denier size at least twice the denier size of the first fibers, which second fibers are interspersed substantially uniformly among the first fibers and are effective to allow drainage of said electrolyte from the explosion attentuating material.
A pressure attentuating material for insertion into a substantially closed electric storage battery comprising a plurality of bulked, fibrous pillows, each pillow consisting essentially of from about 10 to about 90 wt. % of first polypropylene fibers, having a fineness of about 10 to about 30 denier, interspersed among about 90 to about 10 wt. % of second polypropylene fibers having a fineness of about 40 to about 80 denier, the second fibers having a denier size at least twice the denier size of the first fibers.
A lead-acid battery comprising:
- a substantially closed container having a head space;
- a plurality of lead electrode elements disposed within said container below the head space;
- a sulfuric acid electrolyte in contact with said electrode elements within said container;
- a vent from said container in communication with said head space for venting gases generated by electrochemical reactions within said battery;
- a porous explosion attentuating material contained within said head space of said container over said electrode elements, which explosion attenuating material substantially fills said head space, is effective to limit pressure build-up resulting from ignition of said gases within said container, and is effective to allow movement of said gases and electrolyte within said head space during operation of said battery;
- and
- a hydrostatic pump opening on said head space which circulates said electrolyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.