UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ARTS OF

BYUMBA

FACULTY: AEMRE

DEPARTMENT:EMRE

OPTION:RENEWABLE ENERGY

COURSE:ENERGY STORAGE

ASSIGNEMENT:FOCUSING ON THEIT COST AND

DISADVANTAGES,CLEARLY DISCUSS ABOUT THE
LEAD ACID BATTERY AND FLOW BATTERY.
NAMES GROUP MEMBERS
MUSONI SHUMBUSHO Innocent ug102629

Date 27/08/2018
1.Lead Acid battery

Lead Acid battery is touted as the cheapest battery available. In fact, Lead Acid is the family
name for a collection of closely related battery types, from simple vented/flooded to advaned
Valve Regulated ones. Depending upon the type of usage, there are shallow and deep cycle
batteries. Typical examples of shallow cycle batteries are the ordinary car starter batteries, where
as deep cycle batteries are used for prolonged deep discharge operations like electric propulsion,
UPS etc. For a comparison, some reasonable Deep Cycle flooded batteries are available for
around $120 per name plate KWh. This “lowest cost” has given a lot of advantage for Lead Acid
batteries in renewable energy applications. But before getting deep into the deep cycle lead acid
batteries there are a lot of interesting facts to consider.

Lead-Acid Batteries at a Glance (Advantages-Applications-Costs)

 Reliable. Over 140 years of development.

 Robust.
 Tolerant to overcharging.
 Low internal impedance.
 Can deliver very high currents.
 Indefinite shelf life if stored without electrolyte.
 Can be left on trickle or float charge for prolonged periods.
 Wide range of sizes and capacities available.
 The world’s most recycled product.

Applications

 Automotive and traction applications.

 Standby/Back-up/Emergency power for electrical installations.
 Submarines
 UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies)
 Lighting
 High current drain applications.
 Sealed battery types available for use in portable equipment.

Costs

 Low cost
 Flooded lead acid cells are one of the least expensive sources of battery power available.
 Deep cycle cells may cost up to double the price of the equivalent flooded cells.

Varieties of Lead Acid Batteries

 Lead Calcium Batteries | Lead acid batteries with electrodes modified by the addition of
Calcium providing the following advantages:
 1. More resistant to corrosion, overcharging, gassing, water usage, and self-discharge, all of
which shorten battery life.
2. Larger electrolyte reserve area above the plates.
3. Higher Cold Cranking Amp ratings.
4. Little or No maintenance.

 Lead Antimony Batteries | Lead acid batteries with electrodes modified by the addition
of Antimony providing the following advantages:

1. Improved mechanical strength of electrodes – important for EV and deep discharge

applications
2. Reduced internal heat and water loss.
3. Longer service life than Calcium batteries.
4. Easier to recharge when completely discharged.
5. Lower cost.

 Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) Batteries

This construction is designed to prevent electrolyte loss through evaporation, spillage and
gassing and this in turn prolongs the life of the battery and eases maintenance. Instead of simple
vent caps on the cells to let gas escape, VRLA have pressure valves that open only under
extreme conditions. Valve-regulated batteries also need an electrolyte design that reduces
gassing by impeding the release to the atmosphere of the oxygen and hydrogen generated by the
galvanic action of the battery during charging. This usually involves a catalyst that causes the
hydrogen and oxygen to recombine into water and is called a recombinant system. Because
spillage of the acid electrolyte is eliminated the batteries are also safer.

 AGM Absorbed Glass Mat Battery

Used in VRLA batteries the Boron Silicate fibreglass mat which acts as the separator between
the electrodes and absorbs the free electrolyte acting like a sponge. Its purpose is to promote
recombination of the hydrogen and oxygen given off during the charging process. No silica gel is
necessary. The fibreglass matt absorbs and immobilises the acid in the matt but keeps it in a
liquid rather than a gel form. In this way the acid is more readily available to the plates allowing
faster reactions between the acid and the plate material allowing higher charge/discharge rates as
well as deep cycling.

This construction is very robust and able to withstand severe shock and vibration and the cells
will not leak even if the case is cracked.

AGM batteries are also sometimes called “starved electrolyte” or “dry”, because the fibreglass
mat is only 95% saturated with Sulfuric acid and there is no excess liquid.

 Gel Cell
This is an alternative recombinant technology to also used in VRLA batteries to promote
recombination of the gases produced during charging. It also reduces the possibility of spillage
of the electrolyte. Prone to damage if gassing is allowed to occur, hence charging rates may be
limited. They must be charged at a slower rate (C/20) to prevent excess gas from damaging the
cells. They cannot be fast charged on a conventional automotive charger or they may be
permanently damaged.

 SLI Batteries (Starting Lighting and Ignition)

This is the typical automotive battery application. Automotive batteries are designed to be fully
charged when starting the car; after starting the vehicle, the lost charge, typically 2% to 5% of
the charge, is replaced by the alternator and the battery remains fully charged. These batteries are
not designed to be discharged below 50% Depth of Discharge (DOD) and discharging below
these levels can damage the plates and shorten battery life.

 Deep Cycle Batteries

Marine applications, golf buggies, fork lift trucks and electric vehicles use deep cycle batteries
which are designed to be completely discharged before recharging. Because charging causes
excessive heat which can warp the plates, thicker and stronger or solid plate grids are used for
deep cycling applications. Normal automotive batteries are not designed for repeated deep
cycling and use thinner plates with a greater surface area to achieve high current carrying
capacity.

The Disadvantages of Lead Acid Batteries

Lead-acid batteries are commonly found in motor vehicles, battery backup systems and other
electrical applications where a rechargeable battery is required. Lead-acid batteries are generally
reliable for everyday use; however, these batteries do have their shortcomings. It is important to
be aware of the dangers and disadvantages of lead-acid batteries before including one in your
electrical circuit.

Disadvantages

 Fails after a few years use lifespan typically 300 - 500 cycles
 Cannot always be used in a variety of orientations
 Corrosive electrolyte (can cause burns to people and corrosion on metalwork)
 Lead is not environmentally friendly
 Acid needs disposing of with care
 Not suitable for fast charging
 Must be stored in charged state once electrolyte introduced
 Typical charging efficiency only around 70%

Although there are many disadvantages to its use, the lead acid battery has gained a significant
foothold in its use. As it has been available for over 150 years, and because of its high current
capability, cost and tolerance to abuse, the battery is currently the only viable option for many
applications. However with other battery technologies developing, it is likely that its use will
reduce in the years to come.

2.FLOW BATTERIES

A flow battery is a type of rechargeable battery where rechargeability is provided by two

chemical components dissolved in liquids contained within the system and most commonly
separated by a membrane. This technology is akin to both a fuel cell and a battery - where liquid
energy sources are tapped to create electricity and are able to be recharged within the same
system.

One of the biggest advantages of flow batteries is that they can be almost instantly recharged by
replacing the electrolyte liquid, while simultaneously recovering the spent material for re-
energization.

Different classes of flow cells (batteries) have been developed, including redox, hybrid and
membraneless. The fundamental difference between conventional batteries and flow cells is that
energy is stored as the electrode material in conventional batteries but as the electrolyte in flow
cells

How much do flow batteries cost?

The Red flow Zcell (a 10kWh battery) currently costs around $12,600 AUD, not including
inverter or installation. You'll also need a system size of at least 5kW to be able to charge your
batteries consistently, which will cost roughly $7,000. So, a ready-to-go setup will cost you
around $20,000 AUD in total.

I'll be the first to admit that $15,000+ is a lot of money for the average Australian to find, even if
they're extremely keen on adding solar battery storage to their PV system. My recommendation
is for people to wait a year or two for battery prices to drop further before they consider adding
them to their home solar power systems.

I personally believe that advantages of flow batteries, outlined above, means they can seriously
compete with lithium-ion batteries to become the de facto battery storage technology for solar
panels in the future - but first, flow battery manufacturers need to get costs down to a level that's
more reasonable for mass-market adoption.

Advantages:

The power capacity (depends on the size of electrodes) and the energy capacity (depends on the
size of the external storage tanks) of flow batteries are independent. This allows the design to
meet the specific needs of applications.
 The electrodes only collect current and are not involved in chemical reactions; hence they are
stable and durable.

Flow batteries have the ability to discharge and recharge at the same time without affecting the
cycle life.

Flow batteries have long cycle life and low maintenance.

DISADVANTAGES OF FLOW BATTERY

Flow batteries systems are complex. They require pumps, sensors, flow and power management,
and secondary containment vessels.

The main disadvantages with vanadium redox technology are a relatively poor energy-to-volume
ratio in comparison with standard storage batteries (although the Generation 3 formulation has
doubled the energy density [10] of the system), and the aqueous electrolyte makes the battery
heavy and therefore only useful for stationary applications