BATTERIES

The term battery represents a number of electrical cells connected together in series to
effectively increase the total terminal voltage. The combination of two electrodes
(anode and cathode) surrounded by an electrolyte will form a cell.
ELECTROLYTE
Defined as a substance that conducts electricity when in solution or when molten
because of its dissociation into ions.
Two Types of Cells
Primary cell the chemical action is not normally reversible, the current being produced
as a result of the dissolution of one of the plates.
Secondary cell has reversible chemical action and is charged by passing a current
through it. The rate and direction of the chemical action is determined by the value of
the external voltage. The volt efficiency of a secondary cell is the ratio of the voltage
developed by it during the discharge to the average voltage supplied to it during the
recharging cycle.

A battery is a device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy and is
made up of a number of cells which, depending on the battery utilisation, may be of
primary or secondary type. Since a secondary cell can be recharged these are largely
utilised in aviation.
There are two types of Aircraft Batteries
1.

Lead acid battery

2.

Ni-cadmium battery

The lead acid battery can cause serious injury if not handled correctly. The battery is
capable of delivering an electric charge at a very high rate. Items of jewellery (eg
watches, rings etc) must not be worn at anytime by people working on batteries because
they may short out the terminals.
Two gases are released when batteries are charged. Hydrogen is very flammable and
easily ignited while oxygen supports combustion. This means adequate ventilation must
be provided whenever charging is undertaken. Batteries should always be kept away
from ignition sources eg welding, grinding, smoking etc. The acid used as an electrolyte
is very corrosive and can injure a person if it comes in contact with them.

LEAD ACID BATTERY CONSTRUCTION

Construction:
Grid; cast of an alloy of lead & antimony, forms the frame work for the active
elements in the lead-acid battery. The antimony in the lead makes possible finer
castings so there will be room for more active material.
Negative Plates; grids which serve as the negative plates have their openings filled
with a dull grey, spongy mass of porous lead.
Positive Plates; grid of positive plate is filled with a compound of lead peroxide. This
is a chocolate brown crystalline substance, highly porous.
Separators; + & - plates are assembled into cell elements. Between each plate is a
separator usually made of micro- porous rubber material, having vertical ribs next to
the positive plates. This ribbing allows a greater volume of acid to be held in contact
with the positive plates and improves the efficiency of the cell.

LEAD ACID BATTERY CONSTRUCTION

Construction contd:
Cell elements; in cell elements there will always be one more negative plate
than +, so the will be able to protect the more active positive plate, and prevent
warpage by exposing both sides equally.
Containers; high impact, moulded case houses the cell elements to make
upa complete battery. A space exists below the plates in which any active material lost
from them can accumulate without causing an internal short. Refer fig 2.2
There are two types of containers for aircraft batteries
1.Vented & 2. Un-vented
Cell Connectors; these connectors provide a shorter path for the high
current flow, and prevents the possibility of acid loss outside the battery
Cell covers & vents; covers with moulded bushings for the terminal post
cover the individual cells are sealed with tar like sealing compound. A opening is
provided in each cell for venting and servicing.
Battery terminals; are located on top or side, are threaded and normally
have a battery cable connected.

Battery Data
NOMINAL VOLTAGE
24V
NOMINAL CAPACITY @ C1
18Ah (EUR)
European Rating - 1 hour to 20V @+20C
(+68F)
15Ah (US)
US Military Rating - 1 hour to 18V @ +21C
(+70F) at end of life
WEIGHT
22.7Kg (50Ib)
ALTITUDE RATING
-1,500 to +70,000ft
-457 to +21,336M

Battery Capacity
The amount of energy that can be stored in a battery is called its capacity,
and is measured in amp-hours (Ah). A 100Ah battery will deliver 1 amp of
current for 100 hours, 4 amps for 25 hours, and so on, although battery
capacity will decrease with increasing discharge rates. Battery capacities
ranging from 1-2000 Ah or more are available.
For long battery life, it is desirable to use only a small part of the total
battery capacity before recharging. Each time the batteries are run down
and charged up, the batteries undergo a charge/discharge cycle. If more
than half the battery's stored energy is discharged before it is recharged,
this is called 'deep cycling'.

FACTORS AFFECTING CAPACITY

Plates: Capacity increases with the number, thickness & surface area of the
plates
Temperature: @ high temperatures, the chemical reactions are accelerated
& the viscosity & resistances. This reduces voltage loss in the cell & has the
effect of increasing capacity & the terminal voltage
Specific Gravity: Increasing the SG makes more acid available to increase
the chemical reaction. This shortens the life of the battery.
Discharge rate: Ampere per hour decreases as the discharge rate
increases, as the acid does not have time to diffuse into the plates.
Age: As the battery ages, the plates shed active material, with the capacity
decreasing in direct proportion to the loss.

Battery Charging

A discharged battery can be returned to service after passing an electrical

current through it in a direction opposite that of the discharge.
Two common methods;
1.Constant voltage charging
2.Constant current charging

Factors affecting serviceability

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Overcharging
Acid concentration
Overheating
Damage to external equipment
Sediment Accumulation
Mossing
Local Action
Lack of Water
Environment
cold
heat

Nickel Cadmium Batteries

Ni-Cd batteries are constructed of wet cells. An advantage of Ni-Cad
over lead acid is they deliver a greater power to weight ratio. Also, the
closed-circuit voltage of a Ni-Cd remains nearly constant during the entire
discharge cycle. Ni-Cd are much more costly than a typical lead acid &
therefore are usually found on turbine powered aircraft. The extra capacity
available from a Ni-Cd will prevent a hot start of the turbine engine.

Nickel Cadmium Batteries

Construction
The Ni-Cd cell is a vented cell similar to that of a lead acid battery.
The cells are placed in an insulated metal or plastic case in proper order
and then connected in series by the cell connectors. Refer notes in text pg
16 ,17, 18.

THERMAL RUNAWAY
Thermal runaway is a condition in which the current for a fully
charged nickel-cadmium battery rises out of proportion to the
impressed-voltage level. This condition is caused when heat from
oxygen recombination-an inherent property of most rechargeable
batteries-causes the battery's voltage to drop as it gets hot.
During thermal runaway, the battery can become dangerously hot,
emit excessive amounts of toxic gas, and spew electrolyte. This
condition can occur in either the battery workshop or the aircraft.
Low electrolyte levels, electrolyte contamination, no gas barrier, or a
deteriorated gas barrier can cause thermal runaway.

Ni-Cd battery that has seen

better days