JPH03214561A - Storage battery with electrolyte agitating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide stable agitation effect despite differing level of the electrolytic liquid by furnishing a gas sump at the top opening of a liquid circulating cylinder, and furnishing a plurality of ribs at a gas collecting chamber. CONSTITUTION:An electrolytic liquid agitating device D is equipped with a liquid circulating cylinder 1 and a gas collecting chamber 2, which is provided with a bottom opening situated below a small hole 4 and which is to collect the gas generated from a group of electrode plates B. A gas sump 5 is formed at the top opening of the liquid circulating cylinder 1, and a longitudinal ribs 6 and transverse ribs 7 are installed in the gas collecting chamber 2. Each longitudinal rib 6 extends from the end of the collecting chamber 2 to in front of the inlet to a strap 3 either in the radial direction or in parallel with the strap 3, wherein the rib level is approx. the same as the collecting chamber 2, while each transverse rib 7 is formed at a height of 1mm approximately in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal ribs 6 in a position a little intruding into them from where they are missing. Thereby stable agitation effect is obtained despite differing level of the electrolytic liquid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device.

Conventional technology and its challenges For storage batteries, the electrolyte is a substance that directly participates in reactions, so just like the active material of the electrode plates, the capacity of the storage battery is greatly influenced by how effectively the electrolyte is used within the battery. It is well known that this is the case.

However, in the case of lead-acid batteries, the electrolyte at the top of the battery is often used during charging and discharging, so the specific gravity of the electrolyte at the top of the battery is low, and the electrolyte with high specific gravity always remains at the bottom of the battery.

In order to eliminate such a concentration difference between the electrolytes, overcharging is applied to generate gas, and the stirring action of this gas is used to equalize the specific gravity of the upper and lower electrolytes.

In this case, if the storage battery is vertically low, it is relatively easy to equalize the specific gravity of the electrolyte by overcharging, but if the storage battery is tall, such as an electric car storage battery, even a slight overcharge usually does not equalize the electrolyte specific gravity. be. As a result, the upper part of the electrode plate becomes a low specific gravity electrolyte, which reduces the capacity, and the lower part always remains with a high specific gravity, highly oxidizing electrolyte, which corrodes the lower edge of the electrode plate and shortens its life. This has resulted in an invitation. For this reason, storage batteries are overcharged every time they are charged, resulting in wasted power and shortening the lifespan of the storage battery. In addition, in the case of stationary storage batteries, various loads are connected to the storage battery, and some loads do not like large voltage fluctuations due to charging, so a constant voltage charging system that cuts the charging voltage at a constant value may be used. In storage batteries for this type of use, the above-mentioned phenomenon becomes even more remarkable. In order to solve these problems, equal charging is carried out over a long period of 12 to 24 hours, but because the equal charging voltage is low, it is currently not possible to sufficiently solve the above problems. ．．
For large-capacity stationary batteries for load leveling, air is forced in from the outside and stirred regularly. As a result, it has been confirmed that the battery life differs by about twice depending on the presence or absence of a stirring device. In addition, the amount of charge per charge can be saved by 10%, and as a result, the consumption of water in the electrolyte due to overcharging is drastically reduced.As a result, the water replenishment period is extended by five times, and maintenance costs are significantly reduced. It has a huge effect. However, the currently applied stirring device is a forced liquid stirring device using an external device! Therefore, it requires a compressor and piping, etc., and is expensive, so it is limited to special batteries.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides an electrolyte stirring device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and uses self-energy using gas generated within the battery, rather than a forced stirring device using an external device of the storage battery. , a liquid circulation cylinder having a small hole in the middle part and arranged vertically in the electrolytic solution, and a lower end opening below the position of the small hole of the liquid circulation cylinder, and arranged on the electrode plate group. The small hole and the gas collection chamber are connected by an inverted U-shaped siphon strap, and a gas reservoir is provided at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder, and the gas collection It is characterized by having ribs in the chamber.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a storage battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the electrolyte stirring device. In the figure, A is a battery case containing a group of electrode plates, B is a group of electrode plates,
C is an electrolytic solution, and D is an electrolytic solution stirring device. The electrolyte stirring device D includes a liquid circulation cylinder 1 whose lower end is opened at the bottom of the battery container, whose upper end is opened near the lowest electrolyte level, and which has a small hole 4 in the middle, and whose lower end opening is below the small hole 4. The gas collection chamber 2 is arranged in the electrode plate group B to collect the gas generated from the electrode plate group B, and the gas collection chamber 2 and the small hole 4 of the liquid circulation cylinder are connected by an inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3. It has been done. Further, a gas reservoir 5 is formed at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder 1 by covering it with a cap whose bottom surface is open, or by folding the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder back in an inverted J shape. .

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the liquid circulation cylinder 1 has a bent shape at the small hole 4, but this is due to the fact that when the stirring device is integrally molded from synthetic resin, it is necessary to remove the mold. This is to make it easier, and the function is no different from a straight one.

Further, the gas collection chamber 2 is provided with vertical ribs 6 and horizontal ribs 7. The vertical ribs 6 are provided in a parallel or radial direction toward the siphon strap 3 from the end of the gas collection chamber 2 to just before the entrance to the siphon strap 3. The height of the vertical rib is approximately the same as that of the gas collection chamber 2.
Also, in the horizontal rib 7, the vertical rib 6 is the siphon strap 3.
A rib with a height of about 1111 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the vertical rib 6 at a position approximately 5 Ill into the vertical rib 6 from the cut point in front of the entrance.

Note that depending on the size of the gas collection chamber as in the example,
Several horizontal ribs 7, which are lower in height than the vertical ribs 6, may be provided within the vertical ribs 6. The stirring device of the present invention has the above-described structure, and when gas is generated from the electrode plate group B during charging of a storage battery, this gas flows into the gas collection chamber 2.
captured and accumulated. As gas accumulates, the electrolyte that has entered the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3 is returned to the liquid circulation cylinder 1 through the small hole 4. When the amount of accumulated gas in the gas collection chamber increases and reaches the position of the small hole 4, this gas is pushed out from the small hole 4 into the liquid circulation flll as bubbles,
When the gas bubbles and the gas pressure in the gas collection chamber become large enough to overcome the liquid pressure of the electrolyte above the small hole 4 (1a) of the liquid circulation FJI, the gas bubble will absorb the electrolyte above the small hole. In other words, the electrolyte in the part 1a of the liquid circulation cylinder rises while pushing up, and is discharged together with the electrolyte from the upper opening of the liquid circulation cylinder 1. At the same time, the liquid pressure inside the liquid circulation cylinder 1 decreases. , the electrolytic solution at the bottom of the battery enters and rises through the lower end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder, and the electrolytic liquid with a high specific gravity in the liquid circulation FJI is pushed upwards through the small hole 4, and the electrolytic solution around the liquid circulation cylinder is It is stabilized at a position where the pressure is balanced.In this state, gas generated from the electrode plate group is accumulated in the gas collection chamber 2 again, and the above operation is repeated.

In the device of the present invention, a gas reservoir 5 is provided at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder 1, and the electrolyte in the liquid circulation cylinder 1 and the surrounding electrolyte are isolated by the gas phase. Even if the top opening is below the electrolyte level, the electrolyte around the top opening will not flow back into the liquid circulation cylinder, and the electrolyte will always move from the bottom of the liquid circulation cylinder towards the top end. .

In addition, in the device 1 of the present invention, the vertical rib 6 is provided in the gas collection chamber 2.
By providing horizontal ribs 7, the collected gas is divided into a plurality of parts, and in this state is transferred to the Sipon strap 3. The operation of the device of the present invention will be explained in more detail below using FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the apparatus of the present invention.

Please note the symbols in the diagram when explaining. ρ. ... Upper electrolyte specific gravity ρ ... Battery bottom electrolyte specific gravity H1 ... Water head between the liquid level and small hole 4 H2 ... Water head between the liquid level and the lower end of the gas reservoir H3 ... Small hole 4 and Liquid circulation vJ1 water head with the lower end H4 ... Water head between the small hole 4 and the lower end of the gas collection chamber 2 h x ... Small hole 4 and the gas collection chamber side gas phase surface of the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3 Water head hy...Hydraulic head between the upper end liquid level in the liquid circulation cylinder 1 and the small hole 4 ΔP1...Surface tension ΔP2 generated at the small hole 4...
The surface tension generated at the lower end of the gas reservoir 5 (Fig. 3A) is caused by the gas generated by charging etc. gradually being stored in the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3, and the liquid circulation tube 1 is filled with the heavy specific gravity ρ at the bottom of the container. This shows the state where electrolyte has entered. Due to the increase in pressure within the siphon strap, the liquid in the tube on the side of the small hole is pushed out into the liquid circulation cylinder through the small hole 4, and the gas in the tube is about to enter the liquid circulation cylinder through the small hole 4. The pressure balance at this time is (H.+hx)ρ.

H2ρ. 10hyρ+Δp1+Δp2...《1》. In this state, if hx increases even slightly, the above relational expression breaks down, and as shown in FIG. 3B, 1a of the liquid circulation cylinder
The electrolyte inside will spout out from its upper end. At this time, the pressure inside the liquid circulation cylinder decreases by the amount of electrolyte ejected, so the pressure inside the gas collection chamber side pipe of the siphon strap also decreases, and the electrolyte rises inside the inverted U-shaped siphon strap. ．．
At this time, the position where the liquid level rises is the top of the liquid circulation cylinder in a stationary pressure balance type, but because the force of the liquid level rise is strong, it rises from the top of the liquid circulation cylinder due to inertia, so the inverted U-shaped siphon strap It is desirable that the upper end be located above the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder.

When this electrolyte is spouted out, the gas accumulated in the gas collection chamber 2 and the gas in the siphon strap 3 are released to the outside in one lump.

If the gas collection chamber 2 does not have ribs to divide the gas, most of the gas accumulated in the gas collection chamber 2 will come out in one pumping of the electrolyte. Therefore, the amount of gas used per pumping amount of electrolyte solution is large, and the stirring efficiency is extremely low.

In the present invention, for the above-mentioned reasons, the shape of the gas collection chamber 2 is devised and ribs are provided so that the electrolytic solution can be pumped at one time using the minimum amount of gas required. This ensures that the gas collected by the vertical ribs 6 provided in the gas collection chamber 2 is completely divided, and that the gas accumulated by the horizontal ribs 7 does not flow into the siphon strap 3 until it reaches a certain amount. Do it like this. Since the horizontal rib 7 has a low height of about 1 liter, the accumulated gas will flow out when it reaches a certain amount.
Further, since the horizontal rib 7 position is located inside the vertical rib 6 from the position where the vertical rib 6 is cut in front of the siphon strap 3, the gas stops there. This prevents the vertical lip 6 from clumping together at the cut end. Further, the number of horizontal ribs 7 is determined depending on the size of the collection chamber 2, so that the amount of gas flowing into the siphon strap 3 can be made constant.

When this transient state ends, the state becomes stable as shown in FIG. 3C, and gas accumulation begins again.

Liquid circulation IF! Upper electrolyte specific gravity ρ outside 51. is lighter than the specific gravity ρ in the liquid circulation cylinder, so the electrolyte level that has entered the gas collection chamber side 3b of the siphon strap 3 comes to rest at a position higher than the liquid level in the liquid circulation cylinder 1. At this time, if the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder 1 is not covered by the gas reservoir 5, the upper electrolyte having a light specific gravity will enter from the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder. If the upper electrolytic solution gets mixed into the liquid circulation cylinder, the stirring efficiency of this device will be significantly reduced, as will be described later.

The larger the volume of the gas reservoir 5, the greater the blocking effect.If this volume is small, when the electrolyte is spouted from the liquid circulation cylinder,
The residual gas in the gas reservoir 5 is also exhausted, and at that moment,
There is a possibility that the upper electrolyte may enter the liquid circulation cylinder. Furthermore, if the inner diameter of this part is made smaller, the surface tension in the gap of this part will increase, and when the generated gas passes through the siphon strap 3 and enters the liquid circulation cylinder 1 through the small hole 4, the surface tension will be increased by an amount equal to the surface tension. A water head (pressure) is required, and it is necessary to increase the height difference between the lower end of the gas collection chamber and the position of the small hole, and if this is done incorrectly, the generated gas will escape from the lower end of the gas collection chamber. For this reason, it is desirable to make the internal cross-sectional area S of the gas reservoir 5 sufficiently larger than the internal cross-sectional area S of the liquid circulation cylinder. By providing the gas reservoir 5, a stable stirring effect can be obtained no matter where the electrolyte surface is located.

The pressure balance in the gas reservoir in Figure 3A is (hy+
H. )ρ=(HI H2 + Hl)/'. +△p2-(2
)(1). Calculating h× from equation (2), hx= [
△p1+2Δp2- <p-po>Hz]/ρ0
... (3) As can be understood from equation (3), the value of hx is maximum when ρ = ρ, and the surface tension Δp1 generated at the 4th part of the small hole is
and the surface tension Δp2 generated at the lower end of the gas reservoir 5
In order to ensure sufficient gas passage, a gap is provided so that the water head value of this surface tension is 2 to 3III or less. For example, △p1+△p2ki5l-《water head value》,
The specific gravity of the electrolyte is ρ. If the medium is 1.2, h×=4~5Il
1, the gas in the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3 enters the upper liquid circulation cylinder 1a and discharges the sulfuric acid in the cylinder 1a to the outside of the cylinder. This state is the state shown in FIG. 3B.

As mentioned above l! When the specific gravity inside and outside of jl is equal, the gas phase surface (
a) decreases to the bottom, but ρ》ρ. At the time of (3)
As can be understood from the formula, hx is negative, and the gas phase surface (a)
is above small hole 4. In this state, the gas generated is in the small hole 4.
As can be understood from equation (2), the larger the value of ρ, the smaller the value of hy. In other words, the electrolyte level in the upper liquid circulation cylinder 1a gradually decreases as the specific gravity value ρ increases, and when the difference in specific gravity between ρ and ρ0 exceeds a certain value, hy
<o', and a state occurs in which there is no electrolyte in the upper liquid circulation cylinder 1a. In this state, the gas phase surface (a)
rises to near the top of the inverted U-shaped siphon strap,
The generated gas freely passes through the upper liquid circulation cylinder 1a through the small hole 4 and is exhausted to the outside of the cylinder.

In this way, the amount of electrolyte pumped up by the stirring device (stirring capacity) is proportional to hx, and when the value of hx (ρ - ρ.) exceeds a certain value, hx becomes negative as described above, and the stirring capacity disappears. In order to increase the stirring capacity, hx, as can be understood from equation (2), the larger the value of (Hl - H2) is, the larger hy becomes, but the larger this value is, the higher the height of the stirring device becomes.

Also, upper liquid circulation f! The amount of electrolyte pushed up increases as the internal cross-sectional area of ilila increases, but if this internal cross-sectional area is 6
If it exceeds 0 to 80III12, a phenomenon of displacement of the electrolyte and gas occurs in the chamber 1a, and the stirring ability decreases. Other inverted U
As the internal volume of the siphon strap 3 is made smaller, the amount of electrolyte pushed up relative to the amount of generated gas increases. However, if the gas passages at the portions 3a and 3b are narrowed enough to form a water film inside the siphon strap 3, the formula <3> In addition to Δp1+Δp2, a surface tension of Δp3 is generated, and h× increases rapidly, resulting in hx)
When the temperature reaches H, the generated gas escapes from the lower end of the stirring device gas collection chamber 2, and the stirring device stops operating.

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing the transient state immediately after the generated gas enters the upper liquid circulation cylinder 1a through the small hole 4 and the electrolyte in the cylinder is discharged to the outside of the cylinder. The pressure distribution in this transient state is analyzed using a mathematical formula as follows.

As shown in Figure 3, since there is no electrolyte in the upper liquid circulation cylinder and the pressure inside the siphon strap is reduced, △p1 and △p2 in equation (1) can be ignored. From equation 1), hx-(H+-H2) is obtained.

In other words, the gas phase surface (a) on the siphon strap 3b side is the cylinder 1
Rise to the tip of a. At this time, the upper opening 6 of the gas collection chamber
If the upper opening of the gas collection chamber and the small hole 4 are not connected by the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3, but the small hole 4 is directly connected to the upper opening of the gas collection chamber, the electrolyte ρ with a low specific gravity will be formed at the top of the battery. flows into the liquid circulation cylinder C through the small hole 4, and does not push up the electrolyte ρ, which has a heavy specific gravity, at the bottom end of the cylinder. As described above, the most important point of the present invention is the adoption of the inverted U-shaped siphon strap. Although the gas can move freely from the siphon strap 3b to the 3a side, the movement of the electrolyte is completely controlled by this siphon strap. It's blocked. As mentioned above, in a transient state, the gas phase surface (a) on the 3b side of the inverted U-shaped siphon strug 3 rises to the top of the liquid circulation cylinder, so the apex of the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3 is above the top of the cylinder 1. It is desirable that there be.

In the state shown in Figure 3B, the inside of the siphon strap 3 and the inside of the upper liquid circulation liiijla are momentarily in a slightly depressurized state, so that at the same time as the gas phase surface (a) rises, the pressure is removed from the lower end of the gas reservoir. The electrolytic solution tries to enter the upper liquid circulation cylinder, but a pressure of -Δp2 acts on the lower end of the gas reservoir due to the surface tension membrane, which prevents the electrolytic solution from flowing back into the cylinder 1a. Therefore, even if the stirring device is submerged in water, the FJl
The lower electrolyte can be pushed up without the lower specific gravity electrolyte from the upper part of the battery getting mixed into a. Figure 3C shows a stable state after the transient state in Figure 3B has passed and the electrolyte ρ with a heavier specific gravity is pushed up from the bottom of the container through the liquid circulation cylinder, creating an inverted U-shaped siphon. When the generated gas accumulates in the strap 3, it returns to the state shown in Figure 3A. A liquid stirring battery with a liquid stirring device attached to a battery forklift battery as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a liquid stirring battery port using a gas collection chamber without a lip, and a conventional battery without a liquid stirring device. FIG. 4 shows the increase in the specific gravity of the electrolyte when the battery C was charged after being 100% discharged using a commonly used quasi-constant voltage charger.

In the case of a normal battery, the charging time is 10 hours and the amount of charge is approximately 12
0%, and the electrolyte specific gravity has risen to the specified value of 1,280. The charging time for the liquid stirring battery was 9 hours, the charge amount was approximately 114%, and the electrolyte specific gravity had risen to the specified value.

On the other hand, the liquid stirring battery I has a charging time of 8 hours and a charge amount of approximately 11 hours.
At 0%, the electrolyte specific gravity has risen to the specified value.

In this way, the battery equipped with the liquid stirring device of the present invention can be fully charged with about half the amount of overcharging.

Effects of the Invention The device of the present invention has the above-described structure, and the electrolyte stirring device can be configured extremely compactly, and the gas collection chamber disposed above the electrode group is generated in the electrode group. It can be of any shape as long as it can capture part of the gas, and by providing a gas reservoir at the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder, the upper end of the liquid circulation cylinder can be placed at any position in the electrolyte. The stirring effect will not decrease even if the temperature is high. Also,
By providing ribs in the gas collection chamber, stirring efficiency is increased and the upper and lower specific gravity of the electrolyte is made equal during times when the amount of charge is low. This eliminates the need for overcharging of 20% or more, which was the case in the past. The effect is shown in FIG.

In addition, the liquid circulation cylinder that sucks up the electrolyte has an inner diameter of 2 to 3 Il.
It is highly practical, as it can be inserted into any gap within the battery, and can be applied to all kinds of storage batteries.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a storage battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the electrolyte stirring device, and Figs. 3 A to C are electrolyte stirring devices of the present invention. FIG. 4, which is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a storage battery equipped with the device, shows the experimental results of the device of the present invention, an electrolyte stirring device without ribs, and a conventional battery without a stirring device. A...Battery container, B...Plate group, C...Electrolyte, D.
... Electrolyte stirring device, 1... Liquid circulation cylinder, 2... Gas collection chamber, 3... Inverted U-shaped siphon strap, 4...
・Small hole, 5... Gas reservoir, 6... Vertical rib, 7...
・Yokoribu Sai 41】 Sai 1 Farm Wora Kata 7 Map procedure amendment visit ceremony》 1. Case Description 1990 Patent Application No. 7788 2. Name of the invention Storage battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device 3. Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A liquid circulation cylinder having a small hole in the middle part and arranged vertically in the electrolyte, and a lower end opening below the small hole position of the liquid circulation cylinder, arranged on the electrode plate group. an electrolytic solution stirring device, the small hole and the gas collecting chamber are connected by an inverted U-shaped siphon strap, and a gas reservoir is provided at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder. A storage battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device, characterized in that the gas collection chamber is provided with a plurality of ribs.