Ultima NiCd batteryTechnical Manual

1. Introduction 1

2. Battery applications 2

3. Ultima range and performances 3

4. Principles of oxygen recombination cycle 6

5. Construction features of the Ultima battery 8

5.1 Plate assembly 85.2 Separation 95.3 Electrolyte 95.4 Terminal pillars 95.5 Venting system 95.6 Cell container 9

6. Benefits of the Ultima battery 10

7. Operating features 11

7.1 Capacity 117.2 Cell voltage 117.3 Internal resistance 117.4 Effect of temperature on performance 127.5 Short circuit values 127.6 Open circuit loss 137.7 Cycling 137.8 Water consumption 137.9 Gas evolution 14

8. Battery charging 15

8.1 Charging methods 158.2 Charge acceptance 168.3 Temperature effects 178.4 Commissioning requirements 19

8.4.1 Batteries filled and charged8.4.2 Batteries filled and discharged

Contents

9. Special operating factors 20

9.1 Electrical abuse 20 9.1.1 Ripple effects9.1.2 Over-discharge9.1.3 Overcharge

9.2 Mechanical abuse 20

9.2.1 Shock loads9.2.2 Vibration resistance9.2.3 External corrosion

10. Battery sizing principles 21

11. Installation and storage 22

11.1 Emplacement 2211.2 Ventilation 23 11.3 Electrical 23

12. Maintenance of Ultima batteries in service 24

13. Refurbishment of Ultima batteries 25

1. Introduction

The nickel cadmium battery is themost reliable battery systemavailable in the market today. Its unique features enable it to beused in applications andenvironments untenable for otherwidely available battery systems.With the advent of the valveregulated lead acid battery a newconcept was available to thecustomer, a battery that did notrequire water replenishment.However, this was obtained at thecost of reliability. To give thecustomer a highly reliable batteryof zero or ultra low maintenanceSaft have developed the Ultimarecombination pocket plate battery.

This publication details the designand operating characteristics of theSaft Nife Ultima battery to enable asuccessful battery system to beachieved. A battery which in normalapplications requires no topping upbut has all the well provenadvantages of the nickel cadmiumpocket plate battery.

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2. Battery applications

Ultima batteries are designed tomeet the needs of applicationsrequiring the traditional highreliability of nickel cadmium pocketplate cells without the need to top upwith water. They are indeed the bestsolution for installations, whetherthey are UPS systems, emergencylighting systems, telecommunications,where the risk of failure of thesystem is unacceptable. Ultimabatteries are also eminently suitablefor “remote” applications such asphotovoltaic systems, offshoreapplications and switchingsubstations, where the system musthave total reliability without the needfor battery maintenance.

● Offshore oil and gas● Fire and security systems

● Process control

● Telecommunications

● Mass transit

● Emergency lighting

● Railway signaling

● Switchgear

● Photovoltaics

● UPS

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3. Ultima battery range andperformances

Voltage Fully charged Dimensions (mm) Weight Cell Electrolyterated capacity connection bolt reserve

(V) C5 Ah L W H (kg) per pole cm3/cell

SLM 8-5 6 8 162 123 270 6.8 M5 48SLM 8-10 12 8 308 123 270 13.3 M5 48SLM 16-5 6 16 162 123 270 7.6 M5 95SLM 16-10 12 16 308 123 270 14.8 M5 95SLM 24-5 6 24 187 123 270 9.0 M5 145SLM 24-10 12 24 358 123 270 17.8 M5 145

SLM 32-4 4.8 32 201 123 270 10.0 M5 190SLM 32-5 6 32 247 123 270 12.4 M5 190SLM 32-6 7.2 32 293 123 270 14.8 M5 190SLM 40-4 4.8 40 249 123 270 12.3 M5 240SLM 40-5 6 40 307 123 270 15.3 M5 240SLM 40-6 7.2 40 365 123 270 18.3 M5 240SLM 48-4 4.8 48 249 123 270 13.7 M5 290SLM 48-5 6 48 307 123 270 17.0 M5 290SLM 48-6 7.2 48 365 123 270 20.3 M5 290

SLM 71-2 2.4 71 97 195 406 10.2 M8 425SLM 71-3 3.6 71 133 195 406 14.6 M8 425SLM 95-2 2.4 95 112 195 406 13.3 M8 570SLM 95-3 3.6 95 155 195 406 19.4 M8 570SLM 119-2 2.4 119 133 195 406 15.8 M10 715SLM 119-3 3.6 119 187 195 406 23.2 M10 715SLM 142-2 2.4 142 145 195 406 18.5 M10 850SLM 142-3 3.6 142 205 195 406 27.0 M10 850SLM 166-2 2.4 166 184 195 406 22.8 2 x M8 995SLM 166-3 3.6 166 263 195 406 33.6 2 x M8 995SLM 190-2 2.4 190 198 195 406 25.5 2 x M8 1140SLM 190-3 3.6 190 284 195 406 37.7 2 x M8 1140SLM 238-2 2.4 238 241 195 406 30.5 2 x M10 1430SLM 238-3 3.6 238 349 195 406 45.3 2 x M10 1430SLM 285-2 2.4 285 265 195 406 33.6 2 x M10 1710SLM 285-3 3.6 285 385 195 406 49.9 2 x M10 1710SLM 357-1 1.2 357 187 195 406 23.2 3 x M10 2140SLM 357-2 2.4 357 349 195 406 45.0 3 x M10 2140SLM 426-1 1.2 426 205 195 406 27.0 3 x M10 2555SLM 476-1 1.2 476 241 195 406 30.2 4 x M10 2855

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LW

H

Available amperes at 20°C (68°F) fully charged End voltage - 1.00 V/cell

Cell C5 Hours Minutes Secondstype Ah 10 8 5 3 2 90 60 45 30 10 5 60 30 10 1

SLM 8 8 0.8 1.0 1.6 2.6 3.8 4.7 6.1 6.9 8.0 10.9 12.2 16.2 17.9 21.1 25.5SLM 16 16 1.6 2.0 3.2 5.1 7.6 9.4 12.2 13.8 16.0 21.8 24.5 32.3 35.7 42.2 51.0SLM 24 24 2.4 3.0 4.8 7.7 11.3 14.1 18.4 20.7 24.0 32.6 36.7 48.5 53.6 63.2 76.5SLM 32 32 3.2 4.0 6.4 10.3 15.1 18.8 24.5 27.5 32.0 43.5 49.0 64.6 71.4 84.3 102SLM 40 40 4.0 5.1 8.0 12.8 18.9 23.5 30.6 34.4 40.0 54.4 61.2 80.8 89.3 105 128SLM 48 48 4.9 6.1 9.6 15.4 22.7 28.2 36.7 41.3 47.9 65.3 73.4 96.9 107 126 153SLM 71 71 7.2 9.0 14.2 22.8 33.9 41.8 54.3 61.4 70.8 94.0 100.3 123 134 153 179SLM 95 95 9.7 12.0 19.0 30.5 45.3 55.9 72.6 82.2 94.7 126 134 165 180 205 239SLM 119 119 12.1 15.0 23.8 38.2 56.8 70.0 91.0 103 119 157 168 207 225 256 299SLM 142 142 14.5 17.9 28.4 45.6 67.8 83.5 109 123 142 188 201 247 269 306 357SLM 166 166 16.9 21.0 33.2 53.3 79.2 97.6 127 144 165 220 235 288 314 358 417SLM 190 190 19.4 24.0 37.9 61.0 90.7 112 145 164 189 251 268 330 359 409 478SLM 238 238 24.3 30.0 47.5 76.4 114 140 182 206 237 315 336 413 450 513 598SLM 285 285 29.1 36.0 56.9 91.5 136 168 218 247 284 377 403 495 539 614 717SLM 357 357 36.3 45.0 71.4 115 170 210 273 309 357 471 504 621 675 768 897SLM 426 426 43.5 53.7 85.2 137 203 251 327 369 426 564 603 741 807 918 1071SLM 476 476 48.6 60.0 95.0 153 228 280 364 412 474 630 672 826 900 1026 1196

Available amperes at 20°C (68°F) fully charged End voltage - 1.05 V/cell

Cell C5 Hours Minutes Secondstype Ah 10 8 5 3 2 90 60 45 30 10 5 60 30 10 1

SLM 8 8 0.8 1.0 1.6 2.5 3.5 4.3 5.4 5.9 6.5 8.5 9.9 13.3 15.0 17.5 22.1SLM 16 16 1.6 2.0 3.2 5.1 7.1 8.7 10.9 11.8 12.9 17.0 19.7 26.5 29.9 35.0 44.2SLM 24 24 2.4 3.0 4.7 7.6 10.6 13.0 16.3 17.7 19.4 25.5 29.6 39.8 44.9 52.5 66.3SLM 32 32 3.2 4.0 6.3 10.1 14.2 17.3 21.8 23.7 25.8 34.0 39.4 53.0 59.8 70.0 88.4SLM 40 40 4.1 5.0 7.9 12.7 17.7 21.7 27.2 29.6 32.3 42.5 49.3 66.3 74.8 87.6 111SLM 48 48 4.9 6.0 9.5 15.2 21.2 26.0 32.6 35.5 38.8 51.0 59.2 79.6 89.8 105 133SLM 71 71 7.2 8.9 14.1 22.8 32.6 38.3 46.3 51.6 59.6 74.8 83.3 106 114 128 149SLM 95 95 9.6 11.9 18.9 30.5 43.6 51.2 61.9 69.1 79.8 100 111 142 152 171 199SLM 119 119 12.0 14.9 23.6 38.2 54.6 64.2 77.6 86.5 100 125 140 178 191 214 249SLM 142 142 14.3 17.7 28.2 45.6 65.1 76.6 92.6 103 119 150 167 213 228 255 298SLM 166 166 16.7 20.7 33.0 53.3 76.1 89.5 108 121 139 175 195 248 266 298 348SLM 190 190 19.2 23.7 37.7 61.0 87.1 102 124 138 160 200 223 284 305 341 398SLM 238 238 24.0 29.7 47.2 76.4 109 128 155 173 200 251 279 356 382 427 499SLM 285 285 28.7 35.6 56.6 91.5 131 154 186 207 239 300 334 426 457 512 597SLM 357 357 36.0 44.7 70.8 115 164 193 233 260 300 375 420 534 573 642 747SLM 426 426 42.9 53.1 84.6 137 195 230 278 309 357 450 501 639 684 765 894SLM 476 476 48.0 59.4 94.4 153 218 256 310 346 400 502 558 712 764 854 998

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Tabular Discharge DataDischarge data is for cells after floating at 1.42 Volts and allowing for voltage losses associated with connectors.

Available amperes at 20°C (68°F) fully charged End voltage - 1.10 V/cell

Cell C5 Hours Minutes Secondstype Ah 10 8 5 3 2 90 60 45 30 10 5 60 30 10 1

SLM 8 8 0.8 1.0 1.6 2.3 3.0 3.5 4.4 4.8 5.3 6.5 7.6 10.5 11.9 14.1 17.9SLM 16 16 1.6 2.0 3.1 4.6 5.9 7.0 8.8 9.5 10.5 13.0 15.1 21.1 23.8 28.2 35.7SLM 24 24 2.4 3.0 4.7 6.8 8.9 10.5 13.3 14.3 15.8 19.4 22.7 31.6 35.7 42.3 53.6SLM 32 32 3.2 4.0 6.2 9.1 11.9 14.0 17.7 19.0 21.1 25.9 30.3 42.2 47.6 56.4 71.4SLM 40 40 4.0 5.0 7.8 11.4 14.9 17.6 22.1 23.8 26.4 32.4 37.8 52.7 59.5 70.6 89.3SLM 48 48 4.8 6.0 9.3 13.7 17.8 21.1 26.5 28.6 31.6 38.9 45.4 63.2 71.4 84.7 107SLM 71 71 7.1 8.8 13.8 22.8 29.0 33.5 39.2 42.7 47.2 58.3 64.6 83.3 92.7 102 111SLM 95 95 9.5 11.8 18.4 30.5 38.9 44.8 52.4 57.2 63.1 78.0 86.4 111 124 136 149SLM 119 119 11.9 14.7 23.1 38.2 48.7 56.1 65.6 71.6 79.1 97.7 108 140 155 171 187SLM 142 142 14.2 17.6 27.5 45.6 58.1 67.0 78.3 85.4 94.3 117 129 167 185 204 223SLM 166 166 16.6 20.5 32.2 53.3 67.9 78.3 91.6 100 110 136 151 195 217 238 260SLM 190 190 19.0 23.5 36.9 61.0 77.7 89.6 105 114 126 156 173 223 248 273 298SLM 238 238 23.8 29.5 46.2 76.4 97.3 112 131 143 158 195 217 279 311 342 373SLM 285 285 28.5 35.3 55.3 91.5 117 134 157 171 189 234 259 334 372 409 447SLM 357 357 35.7 44.1 69.3 115 146 168 197 215 237 293 324 420 465 513 561SLM 426 426 42.6 52.8 82.5 137 174 201 235 256 283 351 387 501 555 612 669SLM 476 476 47.6 59.0 92.4 153 195 224 262 286 316 390 434 558 622 684 746

Available amperes at 20°C (68°F) fully charged End voltage - 1.14 V/cell

Cell C5 Hours Minutes Secondstype Ah 10 8 5 3 2 90 60 45 30 10 5 60 30 10 1

SLM 8 8 0.8 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.4 2.7 3.4 3.7 4.1 5.3 6.2 8.3 9.7 11.6 15.1SLM 16 16 1.6 1.9 3.0 3.9 4.8 5.5 6.7 7.3 8.2 10.5 12.3 16.7 19.4 23.1 30.3SLM 24 24 2.3 2.9 4.6 5.9 7.2 8.2 10.1 11.0 12.2 15.8 18.5 25.0 29.1 34.7 45.4SLM 32 32 3.1 3.8 6.1 7.9 9.6 11.0 13.5 14.6 16.3 21.1 24.6 33.3 38.8 46.2 60.5SLM 40 40 3.9 4.8 7.6 9.9 12.0 13.7 16.8 18.3 20.4 26.4 30.8 41.7 48.5 57.8 75.7SLM 48 48 4.7 5.7 9.1 11.8 14.4 16.5 20.2 21.9 24.5 31.6 36.9 50.0 58.1 69.4 90.8SLM 71 71 6.9 8.5 13.5 18.5 22.0 23.7 27.1 28.5 32.9 41.8 48.5 62.9 68.0 76.5 86.7SLM 95 95 9.2 11.4 18.0 24.7 29.4 31.7 36.3 38.1 44.1 55.9 64.8 84.2 91.0 102 116SLM 119 119 11.6 14.3 22.6 31.0 36.9 39.7 45.5 47.7 55.2 70.0 81.2 105 114 128 145SLM 142 142 13.8 17.1 27.0 37.0 44.0 47.3 54.3 57.0 65.9 83.5 96.9 126 136 153 173SLM 166 166 16.1 19.9 31.5 43.2 51.4 55.3 63.5 66.6 77.0 97.6 113 147 159 179 203SLM 190 190 18.5 22.8 36.1 49.5 58.9 63.3 72.6 76.2 88.1 112 130 168 182 205 232SLM 238 238 23.1 28.6 45.2 62.0 73.7 79.3 91.0 95.5 110 140 162 211 228 256 291SLM 285 285 27.7 34.2 54.1 74.2 88.3 95.0 109 114 132 168 194 252 273 307 348SLM 357 357 34.8 42.9 67.8 93.0 111 119 137 143 166 210 244 315 342 384 435SLM 426 426 41.4 51.3 81.0 111 132 142 163 171 198 251 291 378 408 459 519SLM 476 476 46.2 57.2 90.4 124 147 159 182 191 220 280 324 422 456 512 582

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4. Principles of the oxygenrecombination cycle

In a conventional flooded electrolytepocket plate nickel cadmium batterywater is lost from the battery onovercharge due to the followingreactions:

At the positive plate

40H- 2H20 + 02 + 4e-

(Oxygen evolution)

At the negative plate

4H20 + 4e- 2H2 + 40H-

(Hydrogen evolution)

This corresponds to a theoretical lossof 36 g of water for 107Ah ofovercharge i.e. 0.335 cc per Ah.Hence a conventional cell requiresperiodic addition of water.The frequency of this operationdepends upon the cumulativeamount of charge received and theoperating temperature.

During the charging processevolution of oxygen begins to occura little before the positive platereaches its fully charged state andthen becomes the main reactionwhen the fully charged condition isreached. However, the cadmiumnegative plate has a better chargeacceptance than the positive plateand hydrogen is not evolved untilthis plate is virtually fully charged.

The Ultima battery has beendesigned with an excess of cadmiumnegative material to enhance thiseffect and ensure that oxygenevolution commences prior tohydrogen evolution.

The oxygen which is produced atthe positive plate surface is collectedby the special porous separator andthus not allowed to escape from theregion between the plates. Somedisplacement of electrolyte within theseparator occurs, thus generatingextra unfilled pores for the diffusionof oxygen directly to the adjacentcadmium negative plate.

As soon as the oxygen reaches thenegative plate it reacts eitherchemically:

2Cd + 02 + 2H20 2Cd(OH)2 (A)

or electrochemically:

02 + 2H20 + 4e- 40H- (B)

Reaction (A) has the effect ofchemically discharging some of thecadmium to cadmium hydroxide.The current passing through thebattery is used to recharge thismaterial.

Reaction (B) consumes the currentdirectly. Thus hydrogen evolution atthe negative plate is suppressedbecause the preferred reaction isoxygen recombination. Hence thetotal process of oxygen generationand consumption is referred to as anoxygen recombination cycle.

The efficiency of this oxygenrecombination process dependsupon the relationship between therate at which oxygen is producedand the rate at which it can becollected and transferred to thenegative plate surface. The rate ofcollection and transfer of oxygen iscontrolled by the separator type andthe cell design.

The rate at which oxygen isproduced on overcharge is directlyrelated to the charge current oncethe positive plate has reached a fullstate of charge. The charge currentin turn is controlled by the chargingvoltage level set on the chargingequipment and the ambienttemperature. By controlling thecharge voltage high efficiencies canbe obtained and in this way the rateof water loss can be reduced to afraction of that from conventionalbatteries.

Though the efficiency of this oxygenrecombination is high it will neverachieve 100% as small quantities ofoxygen will escape from theseparator before reaching andreacting at the negative plate. Thus a small quantity of hydrogenwill ultimately be generated andhence a low rate of water loss willoccur. The battery is designed toaccommodate this by provision of agenerous electrolyte reserve bothabove and around each cell packwithin the battery. This ensures along service life without the need totop up with water.

The Ultima battery is fitted with alow pressure vent on each cell. On overcharge the cells have aninternal pressure above atmosphericpressure. The vent provides an outletfor the release of small quantities ofhydrogen and non recombinedoxygen and thus controls theinternal pressure. When the pressurefalls below the release pressureeither on open circuit or ondischarge the vent reseals to preventingress of air and minimize selfdischarge reactions.

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5. Construction features of the Ultimabattery

Clip on cover

Terminal pillars

Plate group busbar

Polypropylene cell container

Polypropylene fibrous separator

Low pressure flame arresting vent

Pocket plate

Plate group busbar

The construction of the SaftNife Ultima cell is basedupon the proven Saft Nifepocket plate technology butwith special features toenhance the low waterusage by means of therecombination cycle.

5.1 Plate Assembly

The nickel cadmium cell consists oftwo groups of plates, one containingnickel hydroxide (the positive plate)and the other containing cadmiumhydroxide (the negative plate).

The active materials of the Saft NifeUltima pocket plate are retained inpockets formed from nickel platedsteel strips double perforated by apatented process. These pockets aremechanically linked together, cut tothe size corresponding to the platewidth and compressed to the finalplate dimension. This process leadsto a component which is not only

mechanically robust but also retainsits active material within a steelboundary which promotesconductivity and minimizes electrodeswelling.

These plates are then welded to acurrent carrying busbar whichfurther ensures the mechanical andelectrical stability of the product.

The alkaline electrolyte does notreact with steel, which means thatthe supporting structure of theUltima battery stays intact andunchanged for the life of the battery.There is no corrosion and no risk of“sudden death”.

5.2 Separation

As described in section 4, theseparator is a key feature of theSaft Nife Ultima battery. It ispolypropylene fibrous materialwhich, after exhaustive analysis ofavailable separator material, wasspecially developed for this productto give the features required.

Using this separator and plasticspacing ribs, the distance betweenthe plates is carefully controlled togive the necessary gas retention toprovide the level of recombinationrequired.

By providing a large spacingbetween the positive and negativeplates and a generous quantity ofelectrolyte between plates, thepossibility of thermal runaway iseliminated.

5.3 Electrolyte

The electrolyte used in Ultima, whichis a solution of potassium hydroxideand lithium hydroxide, is optimizedto give the best combination ofperformance, life and energyefficiency over a wide temperaturerange.

The concentration is such as to allowthe cell to be operated down to

–20°C (for low temperatureoperation see section 6.4) and it isnot necessary to change theelectrolyte during the life of the cell.

It is an important consideration ofUltima, and indeed of all nickelcadmium batteries, that theelectrolyte does not change duringcharge and discharge. It retains itsability to transfer ions between thecell plates irrespective of the chargelevel.

5.4 Terminal pillars

Short terminal pillars are welded tothe plate busbars using a wellproven battery construction method.These posts are manufactured fromsteel bar, internally threaded forbolting on connectors and are nickelplated.

The terminal pillar to lid seal isprovided by a compressed visco-elastic sealing surface held in placeby compression lock washers. This assembly is designed to providesatisfactory sealing throughout thelife of the product.

5.5 Venting system

Ultima is fitted with a low pressureflame arresting vent for each cell ofthe battery. This vent operates as a

one way valve which will allow therelease of small quantities ofhydrogen and non recombinedoxygen if the internal pressureexceeds a fixed safety value. The nominal operating pressure ofthe vent is 0.2 bar.

When the pressure falls below therelease pressure the vent reseals toprevent ingress of air.

The sealing vent has an integralflame-arresting porous disk toprevent any possibility of anyexternal ignition from spreading intothe Ultima cell.

5.6 Cell container

Ultima is built up using the wellproven Saft Nife bloc batteryconstruction. The toughpolypropylene containers arewelded together by heat sealing.Additional end walls are welded onto constrain the small internalpressure changes created by therecombination process and the lowpressure vent.

The assembly of the blocs iscompleted by a clip on coverenclosing the top of the Ultima bloc,giving a non conducting, easy toclean, top surface.

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6. Benefits of the Ultima battery

The benefits of the Saft Nife valueregulated Ultima battery are:

Complete reliabilityDoes not suffer from the suddendeath failure due to internalcorrosion associated with otherbattery technologies.

Exceptional long lifeHas all the design featuresassociated with the conventional Saft Nife twenty plus years lifebattery products.

Ultra low maintenanceUltima will give up to twenty yearswithout topping up in normalapplications but can be engineeredfor severe applications to giveprolonged ultra low maintenancewith the option of waterreplenishment as and whenrequired.

Office compatibilityThe Saft Nife Ultima battery is avalve regulated recombinationproduct and it gives offimperceptible amounts of gas andno corrosive fumes.

Wide operating temperature rangeThe normal Ultima maximumoperating temperature range is 0°C to +40°C. However, Ultima cansurvive extremes of temperaturefrom as low as –40°C to up to+60°C.

Resistance to mechanical abuseUltima is designed to have themechanical strength for use in bothstationary and mobile applications.

High resistance to electrical abuseUltima will survive abuses which willdestroy the valve regulated leadacid battery. In particular, it has aresistance to overcharging, deepdischarging, short circuits, and atolerance to up to 15% AC ripple.

Low installation costsUltima can be used with existingcharging systems, has minimal gasevolution without any corrosivevapors, uses corrosion freepolypropylene containers and hasan easy bolted assembly system.

Well proven pocket plateconstructionSaft Nife has over 80 years ofmanufacturing and applicationexperience with the nickel cadmiumpocket plate product and thisexpertise has been built into thetwenty plus years design life of theUltima product.

7. Operating features

7.1 Capacity

The Ultima battery capacity is ratedin ampere hours (Ah) and is thequantity of electricity which it cansupply for a 5 hour discharge to1.0 V/cell after being fully charged.This figure is in agreement with theIEC623 standard.

In practice, Ultima is used in floatingconditions and so the tabular data isbased upon cell performance afterseveral months of floating.This eliminates certain correctionfactors which need to be used whensizing batteries with conventionalfully charged open cell data (seesection 10 – Battery sizingprinciples).

7.2 Cell voltage

The cell voltage of nickel cadmiumcells results from the electrochemicalpotentials of the nickel and thecadmium active materials in thepresence of the potassium hydroxideelectrolyte. The nominal voltage is1.2 V.

7.3 Internal resistance

The internal resistance of a cellvaries with the type of service andthe state of charge and is, therefore,difficult to define and measureaccurately.

The most practical value for normalapplications is the discharge voltageresponse to a change in dischargecurrent.

The internal resistance per 1/C5 ofan Ultima cell at room temperaturewhen measured after float chargingat normal temperature is80 milliohms for SLM 8 to SLM 48 cells and 100 milliohms forSLM 71 to SLM 476 cells; e.g. foran Ultima cell type SLM 8 (8 Ah) the internal resistance is 80x1/8 = 10 milliohms.

The above figures are for fullycharged cells. For lower states ofcharge the values increase.

For cells 50% discharged theinternal resistance is about 20%higher and when 90% discharged itis about 80% higher. The internalresistance of a fully discharged cellhas very little meaning.

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Reducing the temperature alsoincreases the internal resistance and,at 0°C, the internal resistance isabout 40% higher than at roomtemperature.

7.4 Effect of temperature onperformance

Variations in ambient temperatureaffect the performance of Ultimaand this needs to be taken intoaccount when sizing the battery.

Low temperature operation has theeffect of reducing the performancebut the higher temperaturecharacteristics are similar to those at

normal temperatures. The effect oftemperature is more marked athigher rates of discharge.The factors which are required insizing a battery to compensate fortemperature variations are given ina graphical form in Figure 1 for thenormal recommended operatingtemperature range of 0°C to 40°C.

For use at temperatures outside thisrange please contact Saft for advice.

7.5 Short circuit values

The typical short circuit value inamperes for an Ultima cell isapproximately 15 times the ampere-hour capacity.

The Ultima battery is designed towithstand a short circuit current ofthis magnitude for many minuteswithout damage.

Derating factor1.1

1

0.9

0.8

0.7

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Temperature (°C)

Figure 1: Typical cell performance variation with temperature

5 hour rate 30 min rate 1 min rate

7.6 Open circuit loss

The state of charge of Ultima onopen circuit slowly decreases withtime due to self discharge. In practice this decrease is relativelyrapid during the first two weeks butthen stabilizes to about 2% permonth at 20°C.

The self discharge characteristics ofa nickel cadmium cell are affectedby the temperature. At lowtemperatures the charge retention isbetter than at normal temperatureand so the open circuit loss isreduced. However, the self dischargeis significantly increased at highertemperatures.

The open circuit loss for Ultima forthe standard temperature and theextremes of the normal operatingrange is shown in Figure 2 for a one year period.

It is necessary to recharge Ultimaeach year for storage periods inexcess of one year.

7.7 Cycling

Ultima is an ultra low maintenanceproduct and therefore is usedgenerally in standby and notcontinuous cycling applications.Nevertheless, it is designed usingconventional pocket plate electrodetechnology and has therefore anequivalent cycling capability to thestandard product.

If Ultima is used in a deep cyclingapplication which requires a fastrecharge, there will be significantgas evolved and the ultra lowmaintenance properties of theproduct will be severely reduced.However, there are cyclingapplications where Ultima can bebeneficial. This will depend on thefrequency and depth of dischargeinvolved.

7.8 Water consumption

The Ultima battery works on theoxygen recombination principle andtherefore has a much reduced waterconsumption. In practice, for therecommended charging voltages,Ultima has a level of recombinationof 85% to 95%. This compares to the

Percentage of initial capacity (%)100

90

80

70

60

500 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Open circuit period (days)

Figure 2: Typical open circuit loss variation with time

0°C

20°C

40°C

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level of recombination found inequivalent vented pocket plate cellsof 30% to 35%. Thus Ultima has awater usage reduced by a factor ofup to 10 times of that of an open flooded cell. This means that atsuitable charging voltages andtemperatures, Ultima will not needwater replenishment for more than 20 years.

However, not all needs are the sameand Ultima is designed to allowwater replenishment under differentand more difficult chargingconditions. Figure 3 gives acomparison of different waterreplenishment times under differentfloat voltages at 20°C.

7.9 Gas evolution

The gas evolution is a function of theamount of water electrolyzed intohydrogen and oxygen which is notinvolved in the recombination cycle.The electrolysis of 1 cc of waterproduces about 2000 cc of gasmixture and this gas mixture is in theproportion of 2/3 hydrogen and1/3 oxygen. Thus the electrolysis of1 cc of water produces about 1300 cc of hydrogen.

As stated in the previous paragraph,under normal recommended floatconditions Ultima has arecombination level of 85% to 95%and so the amount of water which iselectrolyzed into gas is small.

Typically an Ultima cell willelectrolyze about 0.002 cc of waterper Ah of cell capacity per day. This value will be smaller or largerdepending on the float voltagevalue. Thus a typical value of gasemission would be 3.5 cc per Ah ofcell capacity per day, or 2.5 cc ofhydrogen per Ah of cell capacityper day.

Floa

t cha

rge

volta

ge p

er c

ell

1.45

1.44

1.43

1.42

1.41

1.408 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Maintenance free period (years)

Figure 3: Effect of charging voltage on maintenance free period

Temperature 20°C

1.46

8. Battery charging

In order to ensure that the ultra lowmaintenance properties of the Ultimabattery are achieved, it is necessaryto control the charge input to thebattery to minimize the rate of waterloss during the life of the product.

It is important therefore that therecommended charge conditions are complied with.

However, Ultima is unique inrecombination valve regulatedsystems in allowing the possibility ofreplenishment of water in severeapplications where excessive waterloss is unavoidable.

8.1 Charging methods

Ultima batteries may be charged bythe following methods:

a) Two level constant potentialcharging:

The initial stage of two rate constantpotential charging consists of a firstcharging stage, with a current limitof 0.1 C5 to an average maximumvoltage of 1.45 V/cell.

Alternatively, if a faster rate ofrecharge is required, a voltage limitof 1.55 V/cell can be used.However, if frequent recharges arerequired this will increase the rate ofwater loss.

After this first stage the chargershould be switched to a secondmaintenance stage at a float voltagein the range of 1.41 to 1.43 V/cell.After a prolonged mains failure thefirst stage should be reappliedmanually or automatically.

b) Single level float charging

Ultima batteries may be floatcharged at 1.41 to 1.43 V/cell froma fully discharged condition to ahigh stage of charge. This is detailedin section 8.2 and about 80% of thecapacity will be available after 16hours of charge.

Alternatively, Ultima can be floatcharged at 1.45 V/cell if a fasterrecharge time is required. This will,however, increase the rate of waterloss and reduce the maintenanceinterval by a factor of two.

Temperature compensation may berequired as described in section 8.3.

15

16

8.2 Charge acceptance

The performance data sheets forUltima are based upon severalmonths’ floating and so are for fullyfloat charged cells.

A discharged cell will take a certaintime to achieve this and Figure 4gives the capacity available for thetwo principal charging voltagesrecommended for Ultima, 1.42 V/cell and 1.45 V/cell, duringthe first 30 hours of charge from afully discharged state.

If the application has a particularrecharge time requirement then thismust be taken into account whencalculating the battery (see section10 – Battery sizing principles).

8070

90

6050403020100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 30Charge time (hours)

Figure 4: Available capacity on float charge from a fully discharged cell

Charging voltage 1.45 Volts per cell

Available capacity (% of rated capacity)100

Charging voltage 1.42 Volts per cell

Current Limit 0.1 C5A Temperature 20oC

8.3 Temperature effects

The recombination efficiency of theUltima cell is dependent on thefloating current and this, in itself, isa function of the floating voltage. Thus the floating voltages chosen forUltima are carefully optimized at anambient temperature of 20°Cbetween the current required tocharge the cell and the level ofcurrent required to give the ultra lowmaintenance features.

As the temperature increases thenthe electrochemical behaviorbecomes more active and so, for thesame floating voltage, the currentincreases. As the temperature isreduced then the reverse occurs.

Increasing the current increases thewater loss and reducing the currentcreates the risk that the cell will notbe sufficiently charged. Thus as it isclearly important to maintain thesame current through the cell, it isnecessary to modify the floatingvoltage as the temperature changes. The change in voltage required, or “temperature compensation”, is given in Figure 5. If these valuescannot be exactly met with aparticular system then temperaturecompensation values of between–2.5 mV/°C and –3.5 mV/°C areacceptable.

86

10

420-2

-4-6-8

-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50Temperature (C)

Figure 5: Charging voltage adjustment for sustained temperatures

Voltage adjustment (%)

Outside normal operating range

Outside normal operating range

Temperature compensation recommended for sustained temperatures above 25oC and below 15oC

Temperature compensation not necessary for ambient temperatures between 15oC and 25oC

17

The effect of increasing thecontinuous ambient temperatures isshown in Figure 6. For a continuousambient temperature of 40°C thewater consumption is doubled withrespect to 20°C. If temperaturecompensation is used then this islargely eliminated, although notentirely as, at high temperatures, the gas occupies a larger volumeand so it is less easily retained bythe separator.

In practice, for a continuous ambienttemperature of 20°C withfluctuations up to 30°C and down to10°C, temperature compensation forthe charger is not necessary as thereis sufficient safety margin in theproduct design to allow for thesefluctuations.

However, for ambient temperaturesoutside 15°C to 25°C or fortemperature fluctuations beyond the10°C to 30°C it is recommendedthat the temperature compensationshould be used.

If the temperature range of theapplication is outside the operatingrange of 0°C to 40°C or the ambienttemperature is outside 15°C to 25°Crange and temperaturecompensation is not feasible, it is stillpossible that Ultima can be used butwith some modification to voltagesand maintenance interval. Underthese circumstances please contactSaft for assistance.

10

0

Change relative to 20°C (%)20

-10

-20

-30

-40

-50

-60

-70

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Temperature (°C)

Figure 6: Change in maintenance interval with continuous ambient temperature

With temperature compensation

Without temperature compensation

18

8.4 Commissioningrequirements

8.4.1 Batteries filled and charged

Ultima batteries are normallysupplied charged, ready forimmediate use and, provided theyhave not been stored for more thansix months, they may be put directlyinto service on float charge. Under these circumstances theyshould not be given a commissioningcharge before putting into service.

Batteries stored between six andtwelve months should be treatedas batteries filled and discharged -section 8.4.2

8.4.2 Batteries filled anddischarged

Ultima batteries in a filled anddischarged state require acommissioning charge prior toputting into service. This is a onceonly operation and is essential toprepare the battery for its longservice life.

The commissioning charge requiresan input of 160% of the rated (C5)capacity before putting the batteryinto service.

Prolonged overcharging is notharmful to Ultima batteries but willreduce the initial electrolyte reserveand thus the service life withouttopping up. In the event ofovercharge in excess of thisrecommendation, the level ofelectrolyte can be checked andrestored to the maximum level.

The following methods ofcommissioning charge arerecommended:

a) Charge 16 hours at 0.1 C5 Amaximum.

b) Charge at 1.65 V/cell for 16hours maximum (0.1 C5 A currentlimit).

If these recommended methods arenot available in practice, thencharging may be carried out atlower float voltages for extendedperiods.

19

9. Special operating factors

9.1 Electrical abuse

9.1.1 Ripple effects

The nickel cadmium battery istolerant to high ripple from standardcharging systems. Ultima has beentested with voltage ripple values ofup to 15% without any effect onwater loss.

9.1.2 Over-discharge

If more than the designed capacity istaken out of a battery then itbecomes over-discharged. This isconsidered to be an abuse situationfor a battery and should be avoided.

In the case of lead acid batteries thiswill lead to failure of the battery andis unacceptable.

The Ultima battery is designed tomake recovery from this situationpossible.

9.1.3 Overcharge

Overcharge of a recombinationbattery leads to an excessive use ofwater.

In a restricted electrolyte battery,such as valve regulated lead acid,this loss of electrolyte is irreversibleand will lead to premature failure ofthe battery.

In the case of Ultima, with itsgenerous electrolyte reserve, a smalldegree of overcharge will notsignificantly alter the maintenanceperiod. In the case of excessiveovercharge, a situation which willimmediately destroy a valveregulated lead acid battery, Ultima can be refurbished asdescribed in Section 13.

9.2 Mechanical abuse

9.2.1 Shock loads

The Ultima bloc battery concept hasbeen tested to both IEC 68-2-29 (bump tests at 5 g, 10 g and 25 g)and IEC 77 (shock test 3 g).

9.2.2 Vibration resistance

The Ultima bloc battery concept hasbeen tested to IEC 77 for 2 hoursat 1 g.

9.2.3 External corrosion

Ultima nickel cadmium cells aremanufactured in durablepolypropylene, all external metalcomponents are nickel plated andthese components are protected bya neutral grease and a rigid plasticcover.

20

10. Battery sizing principles

Ultima is designed to be easy to useand specify and so the publisheddata is based on cells which havebeen on float for several months, i.e. the data reflects the practicalsituation.

Thus in a situation at normal ambienttemperature without any specificrequirement with regard to rechargetime the published data can be useddirectly to size the battery. However,if there are requirements with regardto recharge time or temperature thenthis will modify the result.

Examples

A standby system is to be sited in abuilding with an ambient temperatureof 20°C and the temperature willalways lie between 10°C and 30°C.It has a maximum voltage of 130 Vand a minimum voltage of 95 V andrequires a backup of 105 A for 2hours.

In this case a simple 1.42 V/cellsingle level charger withouttemperature compensation can beused.

Number of cells = 130/1.42 = 91and the final voltage will be 95/91 = 1.04 V/cell.

The Ultima data shows that the SLM238 gives 109 A for 2 hours to 1.05V/cell and so the battery would be91 cells of SLM 238. At this singlelevel voltage and at this temperature

the battery would give 20 yearswithout topping up.

However, if for this example therewas a restriction that the battery mustgive 80% of its performance after 10hours from a totally discharged statethen certain modifications need to bemade to the calculation.

If the single level 1.42 V/cell chargeris retained, then from Figure 4 it canbe seen that after 10 hours about74% of the capacity is available andso the battery size will have to beincreased by the factor 80/74 or, in other words, 8%. Thus for acurrent of 113 A (105 A + 8%) to1.05 V/cell the battery required is91 cells of SLM 285 as this gives131 A to 1.05 V/cell. This batterywill still give the 20 years withouttopping up.

From Figure 4, it can be seen that avoltage of 1.45 V/cell gives 80% ofthe capacity after 10 hours and sothere is no need to increase the cellcapacity to compensate for thecharge. However, the battery has tobe recalculated as, with the samevoltage window, the higher chargevoltage will modify the end ofdischarge voltage.

Thus, the number of cells =130/1.45 = 89 and so the end ofdischarge voltage becomes 95/89 =1.07 V. The Ultima performancetable gives for 2 hours discharge at117 A to 1.10 V/cell the SLM 285,

and so in this case the battery is 89cells of SLM 285.

The disadvantage of this solution isthat a single level charger of 1.45 V/cell will only give 10 yearswithout maintenance and so toachieve the 20 year maintenancelevel a two stage charger is required.

In principle it is always better to goto the lowest charge voltage as thisgives the lowest end of dischargevoltage, and generally a smaller cellcapacity for the same duty, and givesthe best maintenance interval.

Temperatures outside the standardrange are treated in precisely thesame way using Figure 1 for thederating factors.

When treating temperatures it isimportant to note that lowtemperatures reduce the performance(Figure 1) and so the battery sizemust be increased to accommodatethis and at higher temperatures theultra low maintenance is reduced(Figure 6) and so specialconsideration should be given tocharging parameters.

This section is intended to givegeneral guidelines in battery sizing.For advice on special batteryapplications contact Saft.

21

11. Installation and storage

11.1 Emplacement

The Saft Nife Ultima valve regulatedrecombination battery can be fittedonto stands, can be floor mounted or can be fitted into cabinets.

Local standards or codes normallydefine the mounting arrangements ofthe batteries, and these must befollowed if applicable. However, if this is not the case the followingcomments can be used as a guide.

When the battery is housed in acubicle or enclosed compartment it isnecessary to provide adequateventilation depending on utilization(see section 11.2 – Ventilation).

Allow sufficient space over thebattery to ensure easy access duringassembly.

Saft offers a wide selection of standsto suit most applications.

It is desirable to have easy access toall blocks on a stand mountedbattery and they should be situatedin a readily available position.Distances between stands, andbetween stands and walls, should besufficient to give good access to thebattery.

The overall weight of the batterymust be considered and the loadbearing on the flooring taken intoaccount in the selection of thebattery accommodation. In case ofdoubt, please contact Saft foradvice.

When mounting the battery ensurethat the cells are correctlyinterconnected with the appropriatepolarity. The battery connection toload should be with nickel platedcable lugs. The connectors andterminal screws should be corrosionprotected by coating with a thinlayer of natural vaseline or anti-corrosion oil.

Recommended terminal bolttightening torques are:

Cell Recommended connection torque

bolt per pole Nm Ibf.in

M 5 7.5 70M 8 20 180

M 10 30 270

To avoid accelerated ageing of theplastic due to UV light, batteriesshould not be exposed to directsunlight, UV light sources or strongdaylight for prolonged periods.

22

11.2 Ventilation

Under normal floating conditions theSaft Nife Ultima battery gives off upto 10 times less gas than aconventional open cell. Thus theneed for ventilation is much reducedand in many cases no specialventilation requirements other thannormal room ventilation arerequired. The quantity of hydrogengiven off is given in section 7.9, Gas evolution. However, if the Ultimabattery is commissioned in the finallocation or if the maximumrecommended charge current of0.1 C5 is used then the quantity ofgas given off will be increased.

A typical figure for room ventilationis about 2.5 air changes per hourand under such conditions it issatisfactory to install 700 watt hoursof battery capacity per cubic meter ifthe final charge current is at0.1 C5 A.

Please refer to ventilation standardsand requirements applicable in yourcountry or area.

Care should also be taken withcubicle installations to ensuresufficient ventilation and batteryspacing to prevent overloading and,hence, excess water usage.

11.3 Electrical

Ultima batteries are normallysupplied filled with electrolyte andcharged ready for immediate use.They may be stored in this conditionfor up to twelve months from thedate of despatch from Saft.

If batteries are not put into serviceimmediately, they should be stored ina clean, dry, cool and well ventilatedstore on open shelves. They shouldnot be exposed to direct sunlight.Before storage ensure that thebatteries are clean, with anadequate protective finish, such asan approved neutral grease, on theconnectors, and that the flamearresting low pressure vents remainundisturbed.

Batteries filled and charged can bestored for up to one year withoutany conditioning chargerequirement. If they are stored up tosix months they should be putdirectly into service without anycommissioning charge. If they havebeen stored for between six monthsand one year they should be given acommissioning charge as describedin section 8.4.

Before putting into service ensurethat the batteries are externally cleanand with an adequate protectivefinish, such as an approved neutralgrease, on the connectors.

If it is necessary to store the batteriesfor more than one year then theyshould be given the followingconditioning discharge – chargecycle at the end of each year ofstorage.

● Discharge at 0.1 C5 A to an endof discharge voltage of1.1 V/cell, where C5 is the ratedcapacity of the battery.

● Charge 160% battery’s ratedcapacity at a maximum of0.1 C5 A for 16 hours.

● Return battery to store.

● Repeat every 12 months.

All batteries after storage must beprepared for service and fullycommissioned as described for cellsafter one year’s storage.

23

12. Maintenance of Ultima batteries inservice

In a correctly designed standbyapplication Ultima is a maintenancefree product and requires theminimum of attention. However, it is good practice with any standbysystem to carry out a full discharge-charge cycle once per year to ensurethat the charger, the battery and theancillary electronics are allfunctioning correctly.

When this system service is carriedout it is recommended that theUltima cell levels should be checkedvisually to ensure that the level isabove the minimum, the batteriesshould be checked for externalcleanliness and if necessary cleanedwith a damp cloth and that the covershould be removed to check that theprotective grease on the terminalsremains intact and that the ventsare clean.

If there is evidence that electrolytehas been ejected from the vents orthat there has been an excessive useof water, this could indicate acharger or system malfunction.Action should be taken to rectify this.

Please note that, when checking thelevels, a fluctuation in level betweenadjacent cells is not abnormal and isdue to the different levels of gas heldin the separator of each cell.

24

25

13. Refurbishment of Ultima batteries

Refurbishment of the Ultima batteryis recommended when the electrolytelevel reaches the normal minimummark on the cell but must be carriedout before it reaches the warninglevel on the cell. Batteries operatedat float charge rates above 1.42 V/cell will requirerefurbishment during their operatinglife (see section 8.8 – Waterconsumption).

Refurbishing of the Ultima battery iscarried out as follows:

● Disconnect the battery from theload. Remove the orangeterminal cover.

● With the terminal cover removed,the tops of the individual cells ofthe Ultima battery will be in view.

● Confirm that an adequateprotective finish (recommendedneutral grease) remains onglands, poles and connectors.Replenish if necessary.

● Carefully loosen the flamearresting low pressure vents torelease any gas pressure andthen remove each vent completelyand retain for refitting.

● Top up each cell with approvedwater to the specified maximumlevel. Saft Nife can supply specialtopping up equipment onrequest.

● Wipe up any small spillage oncells using a clean cloth. Replacethe vents taking care to tightenthem correctly i.e. until resistanceagainst a stop is experienced,and ensure that the seatingrubber has not been disturbedout of position. If there is anydoubt about the quality of thesealing ring replace with a newvent assembly.

● Replace the orange terminalcover.

The refurbished Ultima cell is nowready for recommissioning (seesection 8.4.2 – Commissioningrequirements: batteries filled anddischarged).

Note: Before proceeding with anybattery refurbishment please ensurethat the Safety Precautions given inthe Ultima Operating InstructionSheet are complied with.

Advanced and Industrial battery group

156, avenue de Metz - 93230 Romainville - FranceTel: +33 (0)1 49 15 36 00 - Fax: +33 (0)1 49 15 34 00

Doc No R02.97-21036.2. Published by the Communications DepartmentData in this document is subject to change without notice and becomes contractual only after written confirmation

SAFT ADVANCED AND INDUSTRIAL BATTERY’S WORLDWIDE NETWORK

ARGENTINANife Saft Argentina SA1440 Buenos AiresTel: (54) 1-684 1995Fax: (54) 1-684 1924

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JAPANSumitomo Corp.TokyoTel: (81) 3-3230 7010Fax: (81) 3-3237 5370

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MALAYSIASaft Nife Power SystemsSdn Bhd56100 Kuala LumpurTel: (60) 3-985 29 96Fax: (60) 3-984 49 95

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Saft, the battery sector of the Alcatel Alsthom group, supplies advanced off-line power solutions for its customers all over the world.Saft designs, manufactures, sells and services multi-technology cells and batteries as well as related power electronics systems.

As one of Saft’s three product groups, the Advanced and Industrial Battery Group spans an extremely broad range of industrial applications : aircraft, railways, electric vehicles, space, defense and other industries. Its plants, located in Bordeaux,

Poitiers, France, Oskarshamn, Sweden and Valdosta, Georgia, U.S.A., are operated through a quality management system that extends to R&D and production automation.

All sites are ISO 9001 certified.Nickel-cadmium batteries are 99.9% recyclable and Saft operates its own dedicated recycling center.

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