1/18/2016 Battery types used for auxiliary power supply in substations and power plants | EEP

Different types of battery used for

auxiliary power supply in substations and
power plants

Different types of battery used for auxiliary power supply in substations and power plants

In industrial or substation applications mainly three types of batteries are used

namely:

1. Vented / Flooded Lead Acid batteries

2. Sealed maintenance free batteries/Valve Regulated Lead Acid
3. Nickel Cadmium (Ni-cd) batteries

For UPS applications batteries are the most popular and hence are widely used.
Hence, in this detailing, mainly emphasize has been put on these type of batteries.

Vented / Flooded Lead Acid Batteries

There are two types for vented or flooded lead
Vented / Flooded Lead Acid Batteries
acid batteries namely tubular and Plante. The
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difference between the two is the construction.

For tubular battery normal life is 8-10 years. The
Plante battery is both mechanically and
electrically more durable. The normal life for
Plante batteries is 15-20 years. Because this
type of battery generates corrosive fumes when
charging and because the sulfuric acid electrolyte
does evaporate to some extent, these batteries
must be used in a special room, which is well
ventilated to the outside and kept away from
delicate electronic equipments.

It needs separate room/racks with acid proof

tiles for installation. Because of evaporation, it
needs regular maintenance to check specific
gravity, to add water and acid. These batteries
can withstand high temperature, voltage, and
deep discharge with minimum damage to itself.
A notice should be exhibited in the battery room
prohibiting smoking and use of naked flames.
These batteries cannot be transported in charged condition and therefore need
charging at site.

Typical initial charging of the battery will take about 55 to 90 hours. Nominal cell
voltage is 2V/cell. The charger for this battery should be able to provide the first
charge at 2.6 to 2.7 V/cell.

Tubular Type Lead acid battery

These types of batteries are typically used for UPS Systems of very high rated

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capacity, typically engaged for plant application, wherein maintenance and space is
not really an issue.

Sealed Maintenance Free batteries (SMF)

These are also known as
Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries.
These batteries are the most popular for usage
with UPS systems for computer or commercial
application. Being sealed, these batteries do not
emit any fumes and hence can be very well
installed next to electronic equipment. These
batteries also can be housed in a close
enclosure if necessary. These batteries are also
maintenance free and avoid any hassles of
checking specific gravity, adding water or acid,
VRLA/SMF type Lead acid battery etc.

These batteries have a relatively lesser life of approx. 3-5 years. The life expectancy
typically depends on the number of charge/discharge cycle experienced by the
batteries and the ambient temperature in which the batteries are used. These
batteries are primarily the most popular for commercial applications due to Install and
forget approach.

The Performance and service life of these batteries can be maximized

by observing the following guidelines:

1. Permissible operating temperature range of SMF batteries is 15 deg C to 50

deg C, but using within an operating range 5 C to 35 C will extend service life. Below
15 deg C, the battery changes its chemical composition and cannot hold a charge.
You will enjoy longer service life, if batteries are operated in ambient temperature
range of 20 deg C to 25 deg C (68F to 77F). At lower temperature they have longer
life and lower capacity while at higher temperature they have higher capacity and
lower life.

2. A good rule of thumb when determining battery service life in relation to

temperature is that for every 8.3 deg C (15F) average annual temperature above 25
deg C (77F), the life of the battery is reduced by 50%. Therefore warranty of the
battery should be ideally reduced to 50% for every 8.3 deg C (15F) increase in
operating temperature above 25 deg C (77F).

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3. SMF batteries are designed to have a float voltage of 2.3 V/cell. This means
that a 12 V battery (with 6 internal cells) has a float voltage of 13.8 Volts. Most of the
battery manufacturers recommend float voltage of 2.25 2.3 volts per cell. When there
are more cells (generally >120) in series, to compensate for higher temperatures, float
voltage should be decreased by approx. 3 mV per cell per deg C above 25 deg C. It
should be increased by the same amount when operated at a temperature less than
25 deg C to avoid undercharge. The Cutoff voltage is 1.67 V/cell for high rate of
discharge (

4. It is recommended that SMF batteries should not be left in totally discharged

state more than 72 hrs. The batteries may get partially or fully damaged due to
SULPHATION if charging does not start within 72 Hrs from totally discharged state.
Sulphation is the formation of lead sulphate on negative plates which acts as an
insulator and has a detrimental effect on charge acceptance.

5. In normal float / equalize use (2.25 to 2.35V/cell), gas generated inside battery is
recombined into negative plates, and return to water content of the electrolyte. Thus
electrical capacity is not lost because of this recombination. There is no need to add
external water, but due the corrosion of the electrodes battery will eventually lose
capacity.

6. At ambient temperature of 30 40 deg C, the shelf life of batteries is 5-6

months only. A freshening charge must be given to the batteries every 6 months, if
needed to be stored for longer periods. Batteries should be kept in dry, cool place. At
ambient temperature of 20 deg C (68F), the self-discharge rate is 3-4% (approx.) of
rated capacity per month. The self-discharge rate varies with ambient temperature.

7. SMF batteries are equipped with a safe, low pressure venting system, which
operates at 7 psi to 10 psi (can vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer),
automatically releasing excess gas in the event that gas pressure rises to a level
above the normal rate ensuring no excessive buildup of gas in the batteries. Resealing
is automatic once the pressure is returned to normal.

8. Cyclic life of the battery depends on ambient operating temperature, the

discharge rate, the depth of discharge, and the manner in which the battery is
recharged. The most important factor is the depth of discharge. At a given discharge
rate and time, the shallower the depth of discharge, the longer is the cyclic life.

9. Failure mode at the end of life includes:

1. Capacity decrease
2. Internal short circuit
3. Damage to container/lid
4. Terminal corrosion
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5. Reduced open circuit voltage.

10. The IEEE defines B (Bend of useful life) for a UPS battery as being the point
when it can no longer supply 80 percent of its rated capacity in ampere-hours (AH).
The relationship between AH capacity and runtime time is not linear, a 20% reduction
in capacity results in a much greater reduction in runtime. When battery reaches 80%
of its rated capacity , the aging process accelerates and the battery should be
replaced. Some UPS/ Battery manufacturers define B (Bend of useful life) for a UPS
battery when battery capacity reaches 50-60% of its rated capacity.

11. Mixed use of batteries with different capacities, different makes should be
avoided as it will cause accelerated aging of the whole string.

12. If two or more battery groups are to be used, connected in parallel, they must
be connected to the UPS through lengths of wires, cables or busbars that have the
same loop line resistance as each other. This makes sure that each parallel bank of
batteries presents the same impedance to the UPS as any other of the parallel banks
thereby ensuring correct equalization of the source to allow for maximum energy
transfer to the UPS load.

13. The normal life SMF battery will support approx. 200 charge/discharge cycles
at 25 deg C (77F) and 100% depth of discharge.

14. The term B (Bend of useful life) for a UPS battery refers to the fact that
these batteries do not require fluid. But preventive maintenance like checking for
cracks and deformation of the container & lid, electrolyte leakage/spills tightening of
the connection etc, particularly for higher AH capacity batteries should be done to
prevent any damage.

Nickel Cadmium Batteries (Ni-Cd)

Ni-cd batteries do emit hydrogen and oxygen gas, products of electrolysis, but there
are no corrosive gases as lead acid batteries, so these can be installed near
electronic equipment. Water consumption is relatively low and so therefore
maintenance is low. Normal service life is 20-25 years. These are most expensive of
the various types of batteries previously discussed. Initial cost may be approximately
three times that of lead acid battery depending upon their AH capacity.

These batteries do not experience the severe shortening of life when operated at
elevated temperatures and perform better at low temperatures than do the lead acid
batteries. Nominal cell voltage is 1.2 V/cell. The battery chargers and inverters have to
be designed to operate with low end cell cutoff voltages and higher recharging
voltages needed for such batteries.

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These batteries occasionally demand boost charging and typically find their
applications wherein UPSs support critical equipment in hazardous environment such
as chemical, fertilizer, cement industry.

Merits/demerits
As spelled earlier, all the above discussed types of batteries have their own merits
and demerits. Let us now look at them individually.

A) Vented / flooded Lead acid batteries

Merits

1. Most economical among three types of batteries.

2. Life is higher than SMF batteries.
3. Robust- not much sensitive to temperature.

Demerits

1. Needs periodic maintenance- twice a month.

2. Emits corrosive fumes.
3. Needs special battery room with acid proof tilling.
4. Cannot be transported in charged condition, initial charging takes 55 to 90
hours.
5. Needs specially trained persons for handling due highly hazardous sulphuric
acid.

B) Sealed maintenance free batteries / Valve Regulated Lead Acid

Merits

1. No maintenance as far as water filling, specific gravity check etc is concerned.

2. Can be shipped in charged conditions so ready to use.
3. User friendly.

Demerits

1. Leaving batteries in discharged state for longer life will reduce life significantly
or can damage them permanently.
2. Very sensitive to temperature
3. Service life lowest among the three types
4. Costlier than flooded / vented lead acid battery

C) Nickel Cadmium (Ni-cd) batteries

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Merits

1. Moderate maintenance
2. Higher service life
3. less sensitive to temperature
4. Fumes not corrosive so can be installed near electronic equipment

Demerits

1. Most expensive among three types

2. Cannot be transported in charged conditions.
3. Compatibility with respect to charger and inverter needed to be considered.

Summary of Techno-Commercial Analysis between Ni-Cd &

Lead acid Batteries

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No. Description Ni-Cd Lead acid Remarks

1 Reliability Worst case failure Worst case failure This point makes
Criteria is cell short circuit. is cell open circuit. NiCd to be superior
Result is reduced Result is complete in terms of purpose
performance. The loss of battery,
battery will continue known as sudden
to support the death, resulting in
system. an unpredicted
system failure.
2 Requirement Nil Yes Additional Cost due
of Air- to Air conditioning
Conditioning equipment and
& additional running cost-For
cost of VRLA
Electrical
Energy
3 Battery Life 20 Years 5-7 Years Replacing cost of
as claimed by VRLA after every 5-
UK 7 years will involve
manufacturers manufacturing cost
(Industrial escalation during
Batteries) that year. Eg.at 6th
year, 12th year and
18th year.

4 Battery Cost Approximately 3

times than VRLA

5 Relative Ni-Cd cells have a Lead Acid has a

Costs Initial & higher initial cost low initial cost but a
Life Cycle than lead acid but restricted lifetime. In
superior lifetime and many applications
characteristics, they can have a
giving a lower life poor life cycle cost.
cycle cost in many
applications.
6 Physical Size Ni-Cd cells are In terms of Ah, Lead
generally larger than acid (VRLA) is the
VRLA cells. most compact
battery.
7 Water Occasionally Not Required
Topping Required
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Summary of Comparison between tubular flooded (ordinary
Lead-acid) battery with SMF Lead Acid Battery
No. Tubular Lead Acid battery
1 Tubular positive Plates:
The positive active material is held in a
polyester tube. This does not allow the
materials to shed during charge-
discharge cycling resulting in long
cyclic life- minimum 1200 cycles at 80
% depth of discharge.
2 Electrolyte: Stationary batteries of
UPS and Power plant back up works
on low specific gravity (1.200)
electrolyte and larger in volume. This
results in less corrosion of grids and
longer life. The larger volume keeps
the battery comparatively cooler which
also adds to life.
3 Separators: Micro porous poly
ethylene separators are used. This
permits the ion movement and positive
to negative plate separation.
4 Charging compatibility: Tubular
stationary lead acid batteries can be
charged with constant current and
constant voltage mode. Flooded
electrolyte batteries can withstand
more abuses during charging. Water
lost in electrolyte during such abusive
overcharging could be easily made up
manually by periodic top-up. Lagging
cells could be brought to normal life by
an extended equalizing charging
without significantly affecting the other
cells.
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VRLA Battery
Flat pasted positive plates:
The positive active material is a paste
form pasted over a lead alloy grid.
This results in a shorter cyclic life
compared to tubular construction.-
minimum 500 cycles at 80% depth of
discharge
Electrolyte: VRLA batteries work on
high specific gravity electrolyte (1.280
to 1.300) and less volume. The cells
get heated up during charging and high
rate discharges which affects the
service life.
Separators: Adsorptive glass mat
separators are used in these batteries
with a closer spacing between the
positive and negative plates. Chances
of cell shorting are therefore more.
Charging compatibility: VRLA
batteries require constant voltage
charging with a specified limit only
specifically to avoid overcharging. If by
any chance, the charging conditions
are altered, the battery will get heated
up which will deteriorate the battery life.
Though there is no need to top-up due
to the recombination principle, it is not
always 100% efficient, so some water
loss during use is not avoidable. This
results in a further increase in
electrolyte specific gravity and life
reduction. Equalizing (Extended)
charging in VRLA batteries results in
some cells getting heated up and life
reduction.
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5 Containers: We use transparent SAN Not applicable: Cannot monitor

containers. The electrolyte level is Electrolyte
easily seen for topping up needs and
ease of maintenance. Low
maintenance.
6 Need for temperature control: Due Need for temperature control: The
to the large electrolyte volume the close packing arrangement and
temperature of the cells generally do compactness of the stack in the cell
not rise abnormally during charging. No assembly rises the temperature sharply
need for Air conditioning. during charging. Due to this, VRLA
battery manufacturers invariably
recommend the need for air
conditioned environment for the battery
compartments. This adds to the cost of
maintenance.

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About Author //

Asif Eqbal
Asif Eqbal - Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical &
Electronics engineering, from Manipal University, (Karnataka),
India in 2006. Presently involved in the design of EHV outdoor
substation and coal fired thermal power plants for more than
seven years. Motto of joining EEP as a contributor is to share
my little engineering experience and help the budding
engineers in bridging the conspicuous gap between
academics and Industrial practice. If you have knowledge, let others light their candles
with it, so that people who are genuinely interested in helping one another develop
new capacities for action; it is about creating timeless learning processes".

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