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 What is Sulphation? |
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- Sulfation refers to the process whereby a lead-acid battery gradually loses its ability to hold a charge after it is kept in a discharged state too long due to the crystallization of lead sulfate. Acid stratification within the lead acid battery accelerates the process.
- Lead-acid batteries generate electricity through a double sulfate chemical reaction. Lead and lead dioxide, which are the active materials on the battery's plates, react with sulfuric acid in the electrolyte to form lead sulfate. When formed, the lead sulfate is in a finely divided, amorphous form, which is easily converted back to lead, lead oxide and sulfuric acid when the battery is recharged.
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(drawing of sulphate forming) |
- Over time, lead sulfate converts to the more stable crystalline form, coating the battery's plates. Crystalline lead sulfate does not conduct electricity and cannot be converted back into lead and lead oxide under normal charging conditions. As batteries are "cycled" through numerous discharge and charge sequences, lead sulfate that forms during normal discharge is slowly converted to a very stable crystalline form. This process is known as sulfation.
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(Lead Sulfate 50x magnified) |
(Lead Sulfate 400x magnified) |
(Lead Sulfate 1050x magnified) |
- Sulfation is an inherent process that occurs in all lead-acid batteries during normal operation. Sulfation clogs grids, impedes recharging and ultimately can expand and crack the plates as it accumulates, destroying the battery. Crystalline lead sulfate is resistant to normal charging current, and does not re-dissolve completely. Thus, the amount of usable active material necessary for electricity generation declines over time. In addition, the sulfate portion (of the lead sulfate) is not returned to the electrolyte as sulfuric acid.
- Sulfation affects the charging cycle, resulting in longer charging times, less efficient and incomplete charging, excessive heat generation (higher battery temperatures). Higher battery temperatures cause longer cool-down times and can accelerate corrosion in most cases.
To address this issue of sulphation via acid stratification, Pulse Genetech developed Nanopulser based on advanced knowledge on electrochemical principles and studying the Gaston Plante design to counteract its effect and eliminating this phenomenon.
Nanopulser has perfected the solution for lead sulphation in the lead acid battery!
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