BATTERY

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1) Why ventilation is essential for Ni cad also ?

Gases evolved H2 O2 can form explosive mixture.

2) What is the temperature limit of Nickel cadmium ?

45 deg centigrade.

3) What is nominal specific gravity of Nickel cadmium ?

1.200.

4) Within how many hrs, can we get 80% capacity in Nickel cadmium batteries ?

5 hrs.

5) What are the advantages of Nickel cadmium batteries ?

1) High discharge rate,

2) Long life,
3) Simple maintenance,
4) Wide temperature range,
5) Resistant to electrical / mechanical abuse.

6) How Equalising charge is done by M/S Chloride initially

for lead acid Battery ?

During charging ( after completion of 3 rd discharge ), wait for gassing, reduce

charging current to 150 A for 2500ah BATT. Now measure Specific gravity. Remove
acid and add distilled water,if Specific gravity is more than 1220,in order to bring it
down to 1200.

7) Should we provide any time gap between a charge - discharge or discharge -

charge cycle for lead Acid Battery ?

1) 8 - 12 hours cooling period after every charging is required before going for
discharge.
2) No time should be lost to charge the battery after a discharge.

8) How H2 O2 generated in lead Acid Battery ?

At end of Charge, when most of the Pb is converted. H2 O2 generated from H2O.

O2 appears as gas at Positive plate, H2 at Negative plate, i,e. gassing starts.

9) Why current reduced after gassing ?

Excessive gassing shortens the life of Battery by scouring the active materials at the
surface of the plates.

1. How you will prepare electrolyte for a lead acid battery?

While preparing electrolyte for lead acid battery sulphuric acid is added to distilled
water.
2. How battery capacity is expressed?
Always battery capacity is expressed in Ampere – hour.
3. What is the instrument used to measure the specific gravity?
The instrument used to measure the specific gravity is called Hydrometer.
4. What you mean by SCR?
SCR is meant for silicon controlled rectifier.
5. Define specific gravity and mention the specific gravity of a fully charged lead acid
battery?
Specific gravity of a substance is the comparison of density of the substance with the
density of pure water.
Specific gravity = Density of the substance / density of pure water.
= kg / cm2
kg / cm2
= (No unit)
Specific gravity is only number. It has no unit.
Specific gravity of pure water is one.
Specific gravity of fully charged lead acid battery is 1.215. Specific gravity should
always be corrected to 27°C.
Corrected specific gravity is equal to indicated specific gravity ± (t - 27°C)*0.0007.
Indicated specific gravity = 1.205 and ‘t’ means electrolyte temperature.
6. What are the parts of the battery?
Parts of the battery are
a. Battery container.
b. Battery cover.
c. Positive plate (Pb o2).
d. Negative plate (Pb).
e. Cell connector.
f. Grid.
g. Cell separator (porous material).
h. Sediment chamber.
i. Positive and negative terminals.
j. Vent plugs

7. What are the indications of a fully charged cell?

a. The colour of the + ve plates will be dark brown. This can be seen only if the
battery has transparent cover.

b. Voltage per cell will be a 2.15 volts.

c. Gassing in the will electrolyte will indicate. But the current is splitting up water to
H2 and O2. Because the positive and negative plates are fully converted to their
original constituents.
8. What are the difference between primary cell and secondary cell?
Primary cell: The electrolyte in primary cell is chemically irreversible. That is once
the cell is discharged it cannot be recharged. It should be replaced with a new cell.
The cells can supply only low currents and have low efficiency. They supply
intermittent current. Their internal resistance is more. These cells are comparatively
cheap.
Secondary cell: These cells are chemically reversible. They can be discharged and
charged. They can supply large currents because their internal resistance is less.
These have high efficiency compare to primary cells. These can supply constant
current. These are comparatively costly.
9. What do you mean by sulphation? And what are the effects of sulphation?
Sulphation: During normal discharge of battery Pb so4 is formed. This Pb so4 is
chemically reversible by passing current. These split up to their original constituents.
But under certain condition crystalline lead sulphate is formed (Example: under
charging after some time without trickle charging). This Pb so4 is chemically
irreversible. So if the sulphation occurs the battery life decreases. Efficiency
decreases and the active material starts falling of the grid.

10. Write down the equation for Nickel cadmium battery.

Equation for Nickel cadmium battery.
Ni (OH4) + Cd +2 kOH 􀃆Ni (OH2) + Cd OH2 + kOH (during charging)
(Nickel hydrate + cadmium + potassium hydroxide 􀃆 Nickel hydroxide + cadmium
hydroxide + potassium hydroxide.)
Ni (OH2) + Cd OH2 + kOH 􀃆 Ni (OH4) + Cd +2 kOH (during discharge)
We see that there is no change in electrolyte. It just acts as a catalyst. So there is no
need to change the electrolyte.

15) Why Aged Battery consumes more Water ?

As ageing increases, antimony migrates to negative plate

----> secondary cell reaction. Therefore more charging current require ----> more
water consumption.

16) What happens after ageing ?

Shedding of active material during charging.

Shedding increases with overcharging, heavy discharge, battery short ckt.

17) When Plate Bucklings -- seperator damage occurs ?

At low temperature - 10 dg centigrade to + 10 dg C.

+-
18) What is the other effect at low temperature ?

When specific gravity decreases, acid freezing point increases, soon reached at low
temperature ---> volume increases
----> container cracks.

19) What is the purpose of the following ?

1)Microporous rubber seperator ----> Avoid short ckt +ve / - ve plate.

2) Lead antimony grid ---> for current conduction, reduce corrosion.

20) Why In Cold countries the end cell discharge voltage is allowed less ?

Because Chemical reaction is very less there. Therefore Voltage after discharge
allowed very low.

21) Why temperature correction required ?

As temperature increases, specific gravity decreases. The Hydrometer immersion is

more, showing lower readings. Therefore 10 deg C raises ---> 7 Points to be added ,
corrected to get 27 deg C reading.

22) When charging is terminated ?

After free gassing, when 3 consequtive 1 hour readings are constant.

1) What is the capacity of battery banks?

Bank-I Bank-II

Unit-1 2200 3000

Unit-2 3800 3800

2) How this capacity is arrived?

The battery bank at the end of its life it should give a short time discharge of 2200
amps for 30 minutes. The capacity of the battery is decided on this factor.

3) Why there is a difference in the capacity of unit-1 & 2 battery banks?

Earlier the requirement was specified as 2200 amps for 20 minutes. Hence the
capacity is different.

4) What is the expected life of station batteries?

15 Years.

5) On what are all the parameters the life of a battery will depend?

1) Ambient temperature.
2) Maintenance of the battery
3) Charging pattern of the battery

6) What are all the maintenace done on the batteries?

Condition monitoring
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Sp. gravity measurement & Cell voltage measurement.
(Weekly for pilot cells and monthly for all cells)

PM checks
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1) Equalising charging once in three months.
2) Long time discharge - 10 Hr discharge - Once in a year
3) Quick dfischarge - Once in a year
Cell cleaning , Electrolyte topping up, Petrolium jelly applying, etc.
7) What is the rating of the cell ?

The station battery cells are 10 HR rated. ie the battery will give its specified
capacity if discharged at the rate of 1/10 of the specified ampere-hour.

8) Why the battery can not supply the rated capacity if it is discharged at a rate above
the 1/10 of the rating ?

During the discharge of the cell the leadsulphate is formed on the active material. As
the discharge rate is high the the formation of lead sulphate also will be high and it will
cover the active material. Since this covers the active material the active material
inside the coating will not react and release the electrical energy. Hence the output of
the battery will be less. (When battery is discharged slowly the leadsulphate formed
will be porous and the active material inside the coating will react with acid and
release the electrical energy.

9) What is the reaction taking place inside the cell ?

During discharge:-
At anode PbO2 + H2SO4 -> PbSO4 + H2O
At cathode Pb + H2SO4 -> PbSO4 + H2O

During charging:-
PbSO4 + H2O -> PbO2 + H2SO4
PbSO4 + H2O -> Pb + H2SO4
( From the above the equations it is clear that during the discharge water is produced
and during the charging H2SO4 is produced . ie why the the sp. gravity of the cell
goes down during the discharging and goes up during the charging.)

10) What is meant by sulphatation of the cell ?

During the discharge lead sulphate is produced and during the charging the same is
converted back into lead and leadperoxide. If the cell is left under charged lead
sulphate will form which will not reverse back into lead and leadperoxide during
charging. Due to this the cell will loose its original capacity.

11) What type of lead acid cell is used in our plant ?

Tubular type is used ( Other type is PLANTE )

12) How will you say that a cell is charged fully ?

When the cell is charged fully gasing will occure. Sp. Gravity is taken at this
moment and the charging current is reduced to half. If the three consecutive reading
with one hour time gap remains constant then the cell is said to be fully charged.

13) What should be the Sp. Gravity of the fully charged cell ?

Fully charged cell should have Sp.Gravity of 1200 at 27 deg centigrade.

14) How the temperature correction is done on the Sp.Gravity reading ?

If the temperature at the time of measuremaent is higher than the 27 deg

centigrade one should add 0.7 per deg above 27 deg from the reading . If the
temperature is less than 27 deg centigrade then deduct the 0.7 from the reading per
deg below 27 deg. ( If the reading is 1190 at 33 deg centigrade then the actual
reading will be 1190 + (33-27) x 0.7 )

15) What is meant by equalising charging ?

Charge the battery at a rate of 4% of the ampere hour capacity till all the batteries
are fully charged.

16) When you will decide for an equalising charging ?

1) As per the manufactures instructions ( Once in three months)

2) If the sp. gravity of any one of the cell is less than the average sp.gravity value
for the bank by 40 points.

17) What is the advantages of Nickel-Cadmium batteries ?

1) Less maintenace.
2) High discharge rate.
3) Longer life
4) Can be kept on idle for a long time. It will regain its original capacity if charging is
given.

18) What is the disadvantage of the nickel cadmium batteries.?

Since the specific gravity remains the same it will not be possible to find out whether
the battery is fully charged or not.

19) Which are the systems were the nickel cadmium battery is used?

1) DG Flashing batteries
2) MG Flashing Batteries
3) 48v Batteries in unit-I
4) Diesel Fire fighting pumps starting

20) What is the electrolyte use in the nickel cadmium batteries ?

Pottasium Hydroxide (KOH).

21) What is the open circuit voltage of nickel cadmium cell and lead acid cell ?

Nickel cadmium cell - 1.2v

Lead acid cell - 2.00v

22) What will be the cell voltage at the end of 10hr discharge ?

1.85v

23) Why open flame should be avoided in the battery room?

During the charging process Hydrogen is evolved from the cells. This forms a
inflammable mixture with air. Hence open flame is avoided.
24) What is the float voltage for lead acid cells ?

2.15v

25) What is meant by shedding?

During charging and discharging the active materials will under go volumetric
changes. Due to this some of the material may not be retained with the parent
material and will shed and collected at the bottom of the container. This loos of active
material is called shedding. Due to this the cell will loose its capacity.

26) What is the capacity of 48v battery bank ?

300 AH 5 Hr rated.
27) Acid should be poured to water. Why is it so ?
When acid and water is mixed lot of heat is generated. Hence there is chances of
splashing of the liquid. If water is poured to acid acid will splash causing injuries. In
the other case splashing will be of water with concentration of acid which will not
hazardous as the other one.

28) What type of light fittings are used in the battery room ?

Flame proof acid resistant.

29) Why ungrounded 250v DC system is adopted in our station ?

The 250v Dc system is feeding to some of the vital loads such as breaker control
etc. Even if one ground has occured then also the these controls should be available.
Continous monitoring of ground current is employed to eliminate the bypassing of logic
due to double groud.

30) Why Battery capacity limit to 20 min?

1)Battery cost is more.

2)It is better to restore class 3 faster by DG set than putting large battery.
3)20 min is enough to shutdown the unit safely.

31) What are the Float and Boost Voltage of a Battery?

32) What is Battery efficiancy?

33) Why Float and Boost need for a Battery?

34) What are the advantages of Maintenance free Battery?

1) No topping up,
2) No ventilation required. Therefore there is no need of seperate Battery room.
3) Oxygen and Hydrogen recombines inside the battery.

35) What are the disadvantages of same battery?

 1) The life of battery is only Five years.
2) The state of charge of a battery not knowing by the specific gravity of a Battery.
We can know by Voltage only.

36) What are the problems of overcharging and Undercharging?

Over charging leads to Active material shedding. Therefore Battery life comes down.
But AH capacity temporarily increases.

Due to Under charging Sulphation forms, which is irreversible sulphate. Therefore

the life of Battery comes down.

37) What are the problems of Hydrogen concentration?

If the concentration of Hydrogen more than 4% and less than 74% explosion
problems will be there. Therefore the concentration of Hydrogen is restricted to less
than 1% by air changer ventilation system.

38) What are the advantages and disadvantages of Nickel Cadmium Batteries?

ADVANTAGES
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1)Long life.
2)It can withstand undercharging and overcharging.
3)Less topping up.
4)High discharge rate possible.

DISADVANTAGES
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1)State of charge not Known at any instant.
2)High cost.
3)Less cell voltage. Therefore more number of cells are required.
4)Less cell capacity.

105) What is the maximum ripple allowed for lead acid battery ?

7.5%.

13) What is the short time discharge rating of 3800 AH, AMCO Batteries compared to
old batteries ?

2250 A, 30 min -- 3800 AH Battery,

2250 A, 20 min -- Old Batteries

14) Why Lead coated copper connectors are used in Batteries?

To avoid corrosion due to acid.

15) What is the temperature correction factor in determining the AH of the Battery at
27 deg reference temperature ?
 Add 0.43 % AH for every one deg C temperature reducetion from 27 deg C. ( or
subtract 0.43% for every one deg C temp rise from 27 deg C) to get the correct AH
reading for reference temperature of 27 deg C.

What is Plante plate and Faure plate?

There are two types of positive plate preparation. They are Plante plate and Faure
plate.
Plante plate

As per plante process positive plate PbO2 are prepared by a process of repeated
charging and discharging of pure lead. Positive plates, which are made by this
process, are also called ‘formal plates’. This process of positive plate preparation
required very long time for it’s manufacturing and so it is very costly.
Faure plate

Faure plates are generally made up of rectangular lead grid into which the active
material lead peroxide PbO2 is filled in the form of paste.

*) Why negative plates are one more than positive plates?

Negative plates are one more than positive plates so as to get negative plates on
both the sides of positive plates. This is to prevent the buckling action of the lead
on positive plate in the multi plate lead acid cell. The other reason is that both the
sides of positive plates will become active and the efficiency of the positive plate
and the cell will increase.