Air In
LEAD LEAD BALLS
BULLION LEAD REFINING KETTLE CASTING BALL MILL
INGOTS MACHINE
Air Out
VENCHURI SCRUBBER BAG HOUSE
LEAD SUBOXIDE
Lead Sub Oxide Process Chart
(Barton Pot Process)
WATER TO
VENCHURI COOLING
CYCLONE
SCRUBBER TOWER
WATER TO
VENCHURI COOLING
CYCLONE
SCRUBBER TOWER
LEAD ROD
Air In To Cell Assembly Section
BATTERY PLATE MANUFACTURING
PLANT Plate Section
(Flat Plate)
BARIUM
AGED GRID PANEL
SULPHATE
FIBER
(FLOCK)
PASTING PASTING FLASH DRY
Battery Assembly Plant
DISTILLED POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
WATER FLAT
FLAT PLATES
PLATES
BATTERY PLATE MANUFACTURING
PLANT (MANUAL SYSTEM) Plate Section
(Flat Plate)
BARIUM
AGED GRID PANEL
SULPHATE
FIBER
(FLOCK)
PASTING MANUAL AIR
Battery Assembly Plant
DISTILLED POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
WATER FLAT
FLAT PLATES
PLATES
LEAD ALLOY
Grid Casting Section
LEAD
BULLION Lead Sub Oxide Section INGOTS
INGOTS
(Ball Mill Process)
VENCHURI Flue Gas
Air Out Air Out CYCLONE SCRUBBER Out
Air In
BARIUM BATTERY PLATE
SULPHATE
AGED GRID PANEL MANUFACTURING PLANT
Lead Sub Oxide
FIBER
Battery Assembly Plant
(FLOCK)
PASTING PASTING FLASH DRY
MIXER MACHINE OVEN
CARBON
Fluid-O-Matic
BLACK
PLATE PARTING &
PLATE DRYING CURING
BRUSHING
SULPHURIC CHAMBER CHAMBER
MACHINE
ACID
CAPACITY TESTING
LABORATOR
Fluid-O-Matic
Battery Assembly Plant
CELLS
GROUP BURNING CELL INSERTION IN
WORK TABLE PROCESS FORMATION BATTERY
CONTAINER
PLATE GROUP
PLACEMENT DETACHMENT
IN TOOLS FROM TOOLS TO
ASSEMBLY
SECTION
BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY SECTION
CONTAINER Fluid-O-Matic FROM BATTERY CELL
LID Battery Assembly Plant
ASSEMBLY SECTION
TO FORMATION SECTION
/DISPATCH (IF DONE AT
FROM BATTERY HEAT SEALING SECTION
Fluid-O-Matic
Battery Assembly Plant
BATTERY FORMATION
SECTION
UNIQUE BAR
CORRUGATED
CODING
BOX PACKING
MACHINE
SHRINK
WRAPPING DISPATCH
MACHINE
(RANDOM)
TO BATTERY DEALER
LIFE CYCLE TESTER (RANDOM)
LEAD BULLION INGOTS
LEAD REFINING KETTLE
Details of Refining Kettle or Lead Refining Kettle with
Refining Pot pollution Control Unit
• Refining Pot or Refining Kettle
• This is also called Kettle Furnace.
• This assembly comprises of mainly two parts:
• 1. A cylindrical pot or hemispherical Pot
which is indirectly heated by Fire/ Flame. This is insulated by
refractory Bricks and Insulation Bricks. So Heat is transmitted from
the outer surface of pot to the metal ingots or metal pieces or molten
metal which are inside.
• 2. Stirrer is a device which can cause
unrest, here, it is driven by electrical power. Stirrer does two job,
first, it assist in transmission of heat from bottom to top
homogeneously, Secondly it implies centrifugal force to the metal. In
metal propeller type Stirrers are used.
• These stirrers produce axial primary flow with a radial
component and are particularly suitable for homogenization and
suspension. They are also suitable for general stirring duties with
simultaneous heat transfer (heating or cooling) between the liquid
being stirred and the vessel wall. They can also be used for dispersion
and emulsification.
• Standard Refining Kettle consists of following:
• It Consistes of following:
• 1. Shell with Material Pouring Valve.
• 2. Single Stirer with triplex Blades.
• 3. Driven Pulley
• 4. Drive Motor with Pulley
• 5. Suitable V- Belts
• 6. Mounting Stand for Stirrer
• 7. V-Belt Tension Adjustment Systems
• 8. V-Belt Guard
PROCESS OF LEAD REFINING
Principle of Metal Refining or Cut view of Lead Refining Kettle
Principal of Lead Bullion Refining
• All impurities which are mixed with Lead Bullion those are Converted to their
Oxides or Sulphates and then Separated mechanically.
• In process of mechanical Separation these impurities are lift to the top layer due
to specific Gravity Difference, From top these impurities are Separated / lifted
mechanically . to accelerate the lifting Process Stirrer adds Centrifugal Force to the
Molten Liquid. More the Separation is done more purity will be Achieved.
• Refining Process of Lead in Detail:
Removal of Impurities from Lead Bullion:
a. Removal of Copper : Copper is the first of the impurities to be removed. The lead bullion is melted at about 300–600
°C and held just above its melting-point so Copper starts Solidifying ( Due to Copper Melting Temperature being
1080 C) when solid copper rises to the surface and is skimmed off. Then Sulphur is mixed with the Molten Lead
and Stirred. Sulfur is stirred into the melt to facilitate the operation by producing a dry powdery dross of Copper
Sulphate which is more readily removed. Once copper has been removed, there are a number of processes available
for the extraction of the other impurities from the bullion. These include, in which elements are removed one or
more at a time in several stages.
b. Removal of antimony, arsenic and tin: After the removal of copper, the next step is to remove antimony, arsenic and
tin.
There are two methods available — the softening process (so-called since these elements are standard hardeners for
lead) and the Harris process. In the softening process, the lead bullion is melted and agitated with an air blast,
causing preferential oxidation of the impurities which are then skimmed off as a molten slag. In the Harris process,
the molten bullion is stirred with a flux of molten sodium hydroxide and sodium nitrate or another suitable oxidizing
agent. The oxidized impurities are suspended in the alkali flux in the form of sodium antimonate, arsenate and
stannate, and any zinc is removed in the form of zinc oxide.
c. Removal of silver, gold & Bismuth
After the removal of antimony, arsenic and tin, the softened lead may still contain silver and gold, and bismuth. The
removal of the precious metals by the Parkinson’s process is based on the fact that they are more soluble in zinc
than in lead. In this process, the lead is melted and mixed with zinc at 480 °C. The temperature of the melt is
gradually lowered to below 419.5 °C, at which point the zinc (now containing nearly all the silver and gold) begins to
solidify as a crust on the surface of the lead and can be skimmed off.
An alternative procedure, the Port Pirie process, used at the Port Pirie refinery in Australia, is based on similar
metallurgical principles.
d. Removal of zinc
The removal of the precious metals leaves zinc as the main contaminant of the lead. It is removed either by oxidation
with gaseous chlorine or by vacuum distillation. The latter process involves melting the lead in a large kettle covered
with a water-cooled lid under vacuum. The zinc distils from the lead under the combined influence of temperature
and reduced pressure and condenses on the underside of the cold lid.
LEAD BALLS CASTING MACHINE
• Lead Ball Casting Machine is used
after Refining Kettle:
• Metal from Rotary Valve flows to
Tundish and tundish guides metal
to funnel of Ball casting Machine.
In Ball casting Machine, Lead is
poured from funnel to Ball
Moulds. Mould Plate rotates and
ball gets cooled. By the time,
Mould Plate approaches to
ejection point, Ejector Pin ejects
Ball and it is directed by a guide to
ejection Tray. From their it drops
to ground. Container or Container
trolley may be placed underneath
the Ejection tray so these balls are
collected into Tray.
• These Balls are used in Lead Oxide
Mill to manufacture Lead Oxide
Introduction of Lead Oxide Process
• The quality of the electrodes, Battery Plates that will produce the necessary electrical
performance in the battery will depend on the properties of lead oxide.
• During the oxide manufacturing process, various properties of the oxide are carefully monitored
to ensure that they comply within predetermined specifications.
• These specifications include particle size, density, reactivity, surface area and free lead.
• Electrical current flows on the surface, so our objective is to have maximum surface area
compacted into smallest volume, means smallest average particle size with the consistency with a
high surface area of particle. More surface will react better with Sulphuric acid and give storage of
power.
• There are mainly two process in Battery industry by which Lead Oxide is produced.
• A. Ball Mill Process
• B. Barton Pot Process
• The Barton pot and Ball mill processes, both manufacture a lead oxide that differs in their
respective physical properties, and therefore also influence the characteristics of their final
application differently.
• Lead oxide commonly used in Lead acid battery manufacturing process is also known as leady
oxide or Lead Sub-Oxide or Grey Oxide or Battery Oxide. It is a mixture of finely divided lead (free-
lead) and lead monoxide. Chemical formula is 2PbO.Pb.H2O
• History of development of Equipment to produce Leady oxide:
• Barton Pot process was developed by GEORGE VINCENT BARTON from England in 1898 and he
improved this process more and more by adding few more innovations to it.
• Ball Mill Process was developed by Gonzo Shimadzu , from Kyoto, Japan in 1926. This is also
known as Shimadzu mill and used in many industry for grinding different media, i. Paint, Cement,
Different ores.
The differences between Ball Mill Process and Barton Pot are as follows:
Paste Mixing Characteristics Makes Softer Paste which is easier to paste Makes a Stiffer Paste which require careful
Control
Paste Curing Average Curing Rate Slightly faster Curing Rate
Batter Performance Lower Initial Capacity Good Initial Capacity
( Lead Oxide Mixture Performance)
• When the battery paste is cured and dried, it will shrink and generate tensile
force at the paste/grid interface. The tensile force at the paste/grid wire
interface is at a maximum when the wire surface is perpendicular to the grid
surface and at a minimum when the wire surface is parallel to the grid
surface.
• As a result, a gap is formed between the grid wire and the paste at the
location where the tensile force is the maximum. This type of plate is weak
and the paste will fall off easily. Because of a lack of contact between the
paste and the grid, a battery made with this type of plate is much more
difficult to form, performs poorly in certain reserve capacity tests, and does
not exhibit satisfactory cycle life.
• A method that increases the formation efficiency of a battery by enhancing
the adhesion between the battery paste material and the battery grid, along
with a method that can modify the wires of a battery grid. so that the paste
can flow around the grid wires to improve the plate strength, will give an
ideal outcome for the total battery performance. It is an objective to provide
a method of making battery grids that allows a battery manufacturer to take
advantage of a low cost continuous grid making process without the
drawbacks associated with inadequate paste adhesion such as reduced
formation efficiency and reduced cycle life.
Description of Positive Plate construction types
Pasted Plates :
Pasted plates are flat, positive plates made by pasting the lead oxide active mass on a mesh grid.
Tubular Plates :
Tubular plates use a frame structure consisting of a series of vertical spines connected to a common bus bar. The tubular design keeps
the active material mechanically together and presses it onto the grid. The paste is held in microporous, non-conductive tubes
(gauntlets), which are placed over the individual spines. Assembling the spines, gauntlets, lead oxide, and end cap together makes a
positive plate. Volume changes during discharge and charge are mostly compensated by a high mass porosity, and gas bubbles help to
distribute remaining free particles in the cell. Pressing the PbO2 corrosion layer onto the grid surface also helps to protect the lead grid
against further corrosion. Figure 3 shows classic tubular plate
1. High porosity and low electrical resistance Low electrical resistance can determine a well-defined
pore size that permits easy movement to the electrolyte, but at the same time reduces the active
material shedding to a negligible amount
2. Good mechanical resistance and elasticity The gauntlet resists the high pressure that the active
material produces during its cyclical expansion. The fabric holds the paste pressed to the conductive
lead spines ensuring stable performance. Mechanical resistance to abrasion during cell assembly
reduces scraps and pollution
3. Reduced release speed of antimony The fabric keeping the active material all around the spines acts
as a filter for the electrolyte, reducing the release speed of antimony from positive grids. In contrast,
for pasted plates there is almost no distance between grid wires and electrolyte
4. Semi-rigid stability The semi-rigid woven fabric gives the multitube bag a stable shape that permits
an easy and quick filling procedure with paste, powder or slurry methods
5. High short-circuit resistance
Why Tubular Plate is better for Stationary applications i.e. Solar Battery, Inverter Battery, E-Rickshaw
Batteries, Fork- Lift Batteries etc.
Also, due to increased positive plate surface area, tubular batteries have up to 20% more electrical capacity
than flat plate batteries of comparable size and weight. Tubular plates deliver energy faster due to:
Compact structure
Increased mass and surface area of the active material
Ease with which acid circulates around the tubular plate design
With less positive plate shedding, tubular batteries also provide up to a 30% longer service life than flat
plate batteries.
What is Battery Plate
Battery Plates have two main Parts :
Lead Grid and Lead Paste (Active Material)
Battery Plate Grid Battery Plate Grid Casting Process in brief
• Plate Grid : It is designed based on • The quality of cast grids depends on temp. during
casting and alloy composition and crystallisation
material property, electrical behavior of casting alloys. Book type of molds are used
conductivity etc. These all input will to cast grids.
depend upon use. Whether it will be • Variable are to be controlled in specific range. Variables
used as stand by Battery or automotive are
battery or Solar Battery or E-Rickshaw • Temperature in Lead Pot.
Battery. • Required Temperature in Different part of mold to
maintain flow ability of alloy.
• Grid mesh is designed based on hold • Rate of Flow of Alloys into mold.
active material, conduct current,
casting ability and Mechanical Strength.
Battery Plate Mould is made of two parts and alloys are fed into mold either by gravity pressure or
by Pressure Casting Process. One shot gives two flat plate Battery Grid where as single Spine.
Grid is casted in single shot.
There are mainly two processes are used in Battery Industry and these are as follows:
Gravity Casting Process: Lead alloy is poured into mold by different means, either by hand or by
pump into ladle which pours alloy into mold. Mold is closed mechanically.
Spine Casting Process: Lead Alloy is pumped into mould under high pressure. Mold are Locked by
High Pressure Hydraulics.
Different mold required for different Size of Battery and Different Wt. Plates. Different types of
Castings.
Grid Casting Section
• Ordinary maintenance battery: both grids of the positive and negative plates are of Lead-Antimony alloy
(PbSb/PbSb) and the level of electrolyte inside the individual cells must be checked periodically and
topped up by adding distilled water only (never use acid) through the degassing caps / Vent Plugs on the
cover.
• Reduced Maintenance batteries, also called “Hybrid technology” batteries: the positive grid is of Lead-
Antimony alloy but with a low antimony content (PbSb), while the negative grid alloy is of Lead-Calcium
(PbCa). When overcharged, these batteries have a lower "water consumption" than ordinary batteries that
require maintenance, therefore the levels of electrolyte are only restored when necessary and in
particular working conditions (extreme working temperature, extended overcharge, etc.). Even in this case
only add distilled water (never acid) through the degassing caps on the cover.
•
• Maintenance free batteries (MF): the grids of the positive and negative plates of these batteries are
manufactured using lead alloys without antimony and can be of the Lead/Calcium/Tin (PbCaSn) or
Lead/Calcium/Tin/Silver (PbCaSnAg) type for the positive plate and Lead/Calcium (PbCa) for the negative
plate. These batteries consume little water during overloads, therefore in normal usage conditions they do
not need to be topped-up; they do not normally have visible caps and can be inspected directly.
Maintenance free batteries often have an additional component called “Magic Eye” which is normally
positioned on the cover near the third battery cell, and which gives an approximate indication on the
battery conditions:
Gel Batteries
• GEL batteries are made using one of the production technologies used to
make VRLA-type batteries.
• The major difference between AGM batteries and GEL batteries is that in the GEL
Type, the electrolyte is not a liquid but is contained in a special silica gel in which
the plate group is immersed, while with AGM batteries the electrolyte is completely
absorbed by the special glass microfiber divider.
• GEL batteries are not normally used for starting applications in the automotive
sector because high working temperatures inside the vehicle motor area
significantly increase the volume of the gel, which causes repercussions on electrical
performance and battery life. On the other hand, very low temperatures cause the
GEL to concentrate inside the cell, which increases the internal resistance of the
battery; this has a negative effect on the cold start current (-18°C), which becomes
much lower than that of AGM or flooded batteries.
• GEL batteries are therefore more suitable for energy applications than for power
applications, and they are used in industrial applications where high resistance to
discharge and charge cycles and/or greater buffer mode life are required. They are
also used for powering on-board services in the nautical and free time
(Motorhomes) sectors as an alternative to AGM batteries.
VRLA AGM batteries
• VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead-Acid battery) type batteries with AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology are Pb-
acid batteries where the positive grid is made of a PbCaSn alloy and the negative grid is made of PbCa; they
are the only batteries that are completely maintenance free.
• The main characteristic that distinguishes a VRLA AGM battery from a traditional flooded battery is the
technology used to recombine the gases.
• With a traditional flooded lead battery, during the charge phase the two gases in water, namely hydrogen and
oxygen, separate. These two gases exit from the caps on the lid and the level of electrolyte inside the battery
consequently reduces.
• With VRLA AGM batteries, the acid is contained in a special microporous separator made of glass
microfiber(Absorbent Glass Mat) that is impregnated with a controlled quantity of electrolyte during the
production phase. During the recharge phase, the oxygen that is released by the positive plate because of
water dissociation can migrate towards the negative plate, to which it fixes. It then combines with the
hydrogen, which recovers the water that had dissociated.
• A closed electrochemical cycle is created in this way, which initially and during normal use does not emit gas
externally and/or does not consume water.
• Safety Valve for VRLA Batteries: If the battery is overcharged and a large quantity of gas develops inside it, the
excess is released by a safety valve, positioned inside the cover of each cell, that opens. This valve is designed
to open at a pressure of about 0.2 bar in new batteries, but in normal working conditions it is closed because
it must stop air from entering the battery (the oxygen would discharge the negative plate). This is why these
batteries are called VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead-Acid Batteries) with AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology.
Expiry of Lead Acid Battery or
End of Life of Lead Acid Battery
How the end of battery life takes Life of Lead Acid Battery
place depends upon following Factors
• Lead Acid • Battery Cycle Life is defined as the number of
• When a lead acid battery is fully or partially complete charge - discharge cycles a battery can
discharged, lead sulphate forms at the electrodes. If perform before its nominal capacity falls below 80%
the battery is allowed to remain for a prolonged of its initial rated capacity.
period in a discharged state or with a very low state • Key factors affecting cycle life are:
of charge the lead sulphate may form into large • Temperature
crystals which are very difficult to convert back into • Pressure
lead and sulphuric acid by the charging process. The
formation of these crystals is called sulphation and • Depth of Discharge
causes a permanent loss of capacity of the battery. • Charging Rate
To avoid this problem lead acid batteries should • Discharging Rate
therefore only be stored in a fully charged condition • Memory Effect
and the charge should be topped up from time to
time during storage to compensate for the self • Charging Voltage
discharge of the cells. • Expansion and Corresion of Positive Grid
• To prolong shelf life without charging, the batteries • Under Charging
should be stored at 10°C or less but the electrolyte • Cell Short or failure of Separator
should not be allowed to freeze. When the battery • Interconnection
is fully charged the electrolyte is sulphuric acid
solution and the freezing point is -36°C but it rises
to 0°C in the fully discharged state when the
electrolyte is simply water. •
•