JPH088096B2 - Storage battery with electrolyte stirring device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage battery for a cycle service such as a battery forklift and an electric vehicle, which is equipped with an electrolyte stirring device.

Conventional technology and its problems Since the electrolyte is a substance that directly participates in the reaction of the storage battery, the capacity of the storage battery is greatly affected by how effectively the electrolyte is used in the storage battery, like the active material of the electrode plate. This is well known.

However, in the case of a lead storage battery, the specific gravity of the electrolytic solution becomes low at the upper part of the storage battery during charging and discharging, and the electrolytic solution having a high specific gravity always remains at the lower part of the storage battery.

In order to eliminate such a difference in concentration of the electrolytic solution, overcharge is applied to generate a gas, and the stirring action of this gas makes the specific gravity of the upper and lower electrolyte solutions uniform. In this case, if the shape of the storage battery is low vertically, the specific gravity of the electrolyte can be made uniform relatively easily by the stirring action of the gas generated by overcharging, but with a tall battery such as a storage battery for electric vehicles, it will be uniform with a little overcharging. It's normal to say As a result, the capacity of the upper part of the electrode plate becomes low specific gravity electrolytic solution and the capacity decreases, and at the lower part, the electrolytic solution of high specific gravity and rich in oxidizing property remains,
The lower end of the electrode plate is corroded, resulting in a shorter life. For this reason, the storage battery is approximately 20% of the discharge amount each time it is charged.
Overcharged. As a result, along with the consumption of electric power, the amount of liquid is reduced due to water decomposition corresponding to the amount of overcharge, and it is usually necessary to replenish the water for a forklift battery once a half month.

In addition, the battery temperature rises significantly during overcharging, and the battery temperature rise in summer may shorten the battery life.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention uses a battery equipped with a liquid agitator equipped with a liquid agitator for agitating a liquid by using gas generated from the battery, thereby keeping the charge amount to a necessary minimum. Moreover, it is intended to provide a storage battery which eliminates the difference in concentration of the electrolytic solution and eliminates the conventional drawbacks.

Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment 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 the electrolytic solution stirring device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the electrolytic solution stirring device.

In the figure, A is a battery case containing an electrode plate group, B is an electrode plate group, C is an electrolytic solution, and D is an electrolytic solution stirring device.

The electrolytic solution stirring device D has a lower end opening at the bottom of the battery case, an upper opening near the minimum liquid level of the electrolytic solution, and a liquid circulation cylinder 1 having a small hole 4 in the middle, and a lower end opening below the small hole 4. And a gas collection chamber 2 for collecting 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 opposite U
It is connected by a character-shaped siphon strap 3. A gas reservoir 5 is formed at the upper end opening of the liquid circulating cylinder 1 by means such as covering the lower surface with a cap having an open bottom, or folding the upper end of the liquid circulating cylinder into an inverted J shape. .

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the liquid circulation cylinder 1 has a shape that is displaced and bent at the portion of the small hole 4, but this is used when the stirring device is integrally molded with synthetic resin. This is for facilitating the operation, and is in no way different from the linear one in operation.

The stirrer of the present invention has the structure as described above, and when a gas is generated from the electrode plate group B when the storage battery is charged, this gas is captured and accumulated in the gas collection chamber 2.
In accordance with the accumulation of gas, the electrolytic solution that has entered the inverted U-shaped siphon strap 3 is returned to the liquid circulation cylinder 1 through the small holes 4. As the amount of accumulated gas in the gas collection chamber increases, small holes 4
When the gas reaches the position of, the gas is extruded from the small hole 4 into the liquid circulation cylinder 1 as bubbles, and the magnitude of the gas pressure in the gas collection chamber is higher than that of the small holes 4 of the liquid circulation cylinder 1. When the size exceeds the liquid pressure of the liquid, the gas bubbles rise while pushing up the electrolytic solution above the small holes, that is, the electrolytic solution in this part of the liquid circulation tube, and from the upper opening of the liquid circulation tube 1 to the electrolytic solution. Is released with. At the same time, the liquid circulation cylinder 1
Since the liquid pressure in the liquid circulation cylinder decreases, the electrolyte at the bottom of the battery enters and rises from the lower end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder, and the electrolyte having a large specific gravity in the liquid circulation cylinder 1 is pushed up above the small holes 4 to Stabilizes at a position that balances the liquid pressure of the electrolyte around the circulation cylinder. From this state, the gas generated from the electrode plate group is accumulated again in the gas collection chamber 2, and the above operation is repeated.

In the device of the present invention, the gas reservoir 5 is provided at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder 1 to block the electrolytic solution in the liquid circulation cylinder 1 and the surrounding electrolytic solution by the gas phase. Even if the upper end opening is below the surface of the electrolytic solution, the electrolytic solution around the upper end opening does not flow back into the liquid circulation cylinder, and the electrolytic solution always moves from the lower end of the liquid circulation cylinder toward the upper end.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the stirring device D is attached to the electrode plate group. The stirrer D is inserted and fixed in the gap between the strap 6 and the pole 7 welded to the ears of the electrode plate group, the separator and the like, and the battery case. A cathode plate is usually arranged as an end electrode plate of the electrode plate group. It is necessary to add an additive to the active material of the cathode plate so as to easily expand and cause an electrochemical reaction, so that it is necessary to press the plate-shaped spacer from the outside. When the stirrer is attached, since the liquid circulation cylinder 1 is present, two spacers may be arranged on both sides of the liquid circulation cylinder, but when the electrode plate group B is inserted into the battery case A, it shifts. Also, there is a problem of poor workability.

FIG. 4 is a cardboard-shaped synthetic resin spacer made of polypropylene or the like, and has a thickness substantially the same as that of the liquid circulation cylinder.

A groove that matches the width of the liquid circulation cylinder is provided in a portion where the liquid circulation cylinder contacts when assembled in a battery. The problem of using two spacers can be solved by using only one spacer.

Although the stirring device D is attached after the spacer 8 is arranged in FIG. 3, the spacer 8 may be arranged upside down in FIG. 3 after the stirring device D is attached.

The liquid stirrer battery A in which the liquid stirrer shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 is attached to the battery for a battery forklift, and the normal battery B without the liquid stirrer are normally used. Fig. 5 shows the increase in the specific gravity of the electrolyte when the battery was charged after 10% discharge with a quasi-constant voltage charger. In the case of normal batteries,
The charge amount is about 120% after 10 hours of charging and the specific gravity of the electrolyte is
It has risen to the specified value of 1,280.

On the other hand, the liquid-stirred battery a has a charging time of 8 hours and a charging amount of about
At 0%, the electrolyte specific gravity has risen to the specified value.

As described above, the battery equipped with the liquid stirring device has an overcharge amount of about half, and the charge amount can be completed.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION A feature of the liquid stirred battery of the present invention is that overcharging can be completed with about half the amount of the conventional type, the following advantages are produced, and mass production can be performed at low cost.

The rehydration interval is extended (by doubling the displacement of the liquid surface, the rehydration interval is about four times the current value).

 It saves electricity.

 It is one of the measures for temperature increase in heavy duty.

 High capacity batteries can also be set.

 Stratification phenomenon can be prevented and reliability is improved.

[Brief description 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 FIG. 3 is a liquid stirring device D for an electrode plate group. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a place where the is attached, FIG. 4 is a view showing a synthetic resin spacer,
FIG. 5 is a diagram comparing changes in the specific gravity of the electrolytic solution due to charging of a storage battery equipped with the electrolytic solution stirring device and a conventional battery not equipped with the electrolytic solution stirring device. A ... Battery case, B ... Electrode plate group, C ... Electrolyte solution, D ... Electrolyte stirring device, 1 ... Liquid circulation tube, 2 ... Gas collection chamber, 3 ...
… Inverted U-shaped siphon strap, 4 …… Small hole, 5 …… Gas reservoir, 6 …… Strap, 7 …… Polar pole, 8 …… Spacer

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-302658 (JP, A) JP-A-2-30059 (JP, A) Jikken 55-42615 (JP, Y2)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electrode plate group having a small hole in an intermediate portion, a liquid circulating cylinder vertically arranged in an electrolytic solution, and a lower end opening below a small hole position of the liquid circulating cylinder. An electrolyzer having a gas collection chamber arranged above, connecting the small hole and the gas collection chamber with an inverted U-shaped siphon strap, and providing a gas reservoir at the upper end opening of the liquid circulation cylinder. An electrolytic solution stirrer comprising a liquid stirrer, wherein a synthetic resin spacer having a groove along the liquid stirrer in a mounting portion of the liquid stirrer is brought into contact with an end electrode plate of an electrode plate group. Storage battery provided.