JPH0129023B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a storage battery electrolyte stirring device for stirring an electrolyte of a lead-acid battery.

In conventional large-capacity lead-acid batteries, the difference in temperature and specific gravity between the upper and lower parts of the electrolyte in the battery case is quite large, resulting in poor utilization of the electrolyte and active material of the electrode plates, which reduces the capacity performance of the battery. It had decreased significantly. In addition, because the chemical reaction during battery charging does not proceed uniformly between the upper and lower parts of the electrolyte, the active material falls off from the electrode plates and deformation of the electrode plates is facilitated, which has a negative impact on the battery life performance. . The active material that has fallen off the electrode plates floats in the electrolyte, and when the amount of floating increases, it acts to short-circuit between the electrode plates, shortening the battery life.

The present invention provides a storage battery electrolyte stirring device that stirs the electrolyte in the storage battery in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and improve battery performance.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a lead-acid battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device according to the present invention, in which 1 is a battery container, 2 is an electrolytic solution contained in this container, and 3 is in this electrolytic solution. This is the electrode plate placed in the . In the thickness direction of this electrode plate, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, a plurality of other electrode plates of different polarities are alternately arranged in parallel with separators interposed therebetween to form an electrode plate group.
4A is one terminal connected to the polar plate 3, and 4B is the other terminal connected to a polar plate having a different polarity from the polar plate 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes the electrolyte stirring device of this embodiment, which is installed approximately in the center of the battery container 1, and 6 is a compressor connected to the stirring device 5 through a supply/exhaust pipe 7.

Next, the structure of the electrolyte stirring device 5 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 in addition to FIG. 1. 8
9 is a cylinder having a cylindrical shape, and 9 is a piston having a disc shape and dividing the inside of the cylinder 8 into one cylinder chamber to which the supply/exhaust pipe 7 is connected and the other cylinder chamber, and is arranged to be able to reciprocate. It is. 10A is a gasket that is fixed to the entire peripheral edge of the piston 9 and is in airtight contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 8; 11 is a gasket that attaches the piston 9 to a ceiling plate that is one end plate forming the one cylinder chamber of the cylinder 8; It is a tension spring. 12 is an air supply port provided on a part of the side wall of the cylinder 8; 10B is fixed to a part of the periphery of the piston 9; This is a rubber gasket that controls opening of the air port 12 to allow air to flow into the other cylinder chamber. The above-mentioned cylinder 8 with an air supply port, piston 9 with a packing, and tension spring 11 constitute a stirring device main body 5A. 13 is a liquid suction pipe, and 14 is a liquid return pipe, both of which protrude from the bottom wall of the cylinder 8 and communicate with the other cylinder chamber. Liquid suction tube 1
The open end of the liquid return pipe 14 is located in the middle of the depth of the electrolytic solution 2, and the open end of the liquid return pipe 14 is located deep in the electrolytic solution 2. 15 is return liquid pipe 1
A hollow bubble generator 15a is attached to the tip of the tube and extends in the radial direction of the tube. Reference numeral 15a is an air blowing hole provided in the wall plate of the bubble generator. 16
17 is a backflow prevention valve disposed so as to be able to open and close the end of the liquid suction pipe 13 that opens into the cylinder 8; 17 is a liquid return pipe 1;
4 is a filter disposed to cover the end opening into the cylinder 8.

Next, the operation of the above device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. First, when the compressor 6 stops supplying compressed air and the air in the supply/exhaust pipe 7 begins to be exhausted, the tension of the spring 11 causes the piston 9 to move upward as shown by the arrow in FIG. Move back. In this case, the backflow prevention valve 16 opens and the electrolytic solution 2 in the center of the container passes through the suction pipe 13, and the electrolytic solution 2 in the lower part of the container passes through the bubble generator 15, return pipe 14, and filter 17. Go into cylinder 8. Then, when the piston 9 moves back to the position beyond the air supply port 12 as shown in FIG. The electrolytic solution 2 sucked into the cylinder 8 under the pressure of the air passes through the filter 17 and is returned to the lower part of the battery container through the return pipe 14. As a result, the electrolyte 2 in the container 1 circulates along the route of the container 1 → the liquid suction pipe 13 and the liquid return pipe 14 → the cylinder 8 → the liquid return pipe 14 → the inside of the container 1. The electrolytic solution 2 is circulated from the center to the lower part of the container 1, and the electrolytic solution 2 is stirred accordingly. At this time, cylinder 8
The fallen active material floating in the electrolyte sucked into the cylinder 8 is blocked from flowing out by the filter 17.
will be collected within. Furthermore, since the backflow prevention valve 16 is closed, no liquid is returned from the liquid suction pipe 13.

At the next stage after liquid return due to the pressure of the air entering from the air supply port 12 has progressed, compressed air is sent from the compressor 6 into the cylinder 8 through the supply/exhaust pipe 7. In this case, as shown in Fig. 4, the compressed air flowing into the upper part of the cylinder 8 causes the piston 9 and the seal 10B to move downward in the direction of the arrow against the spring force of the spring 11. The mouth 12 is closed by the gasket 10B. As the piston 9 continues to move forward, the electrolyte in the cylinder 8 is completely discharged to the lower part of the battery case 1 through the return pipe 14, and the air accumulated below the piston 9 is further removed. The portion passes through the return pipe 14 to the bubble generator 15
Air bubbles f are released from the air blowing hole 15a. These bubbles rise from the bottom of the container into the electrolytic solution 2 and contribute to stirring of the electrolytic solution. When the downward movement of the piston 9 as shown in FIG. 4 is completed,
The supply of compressed air into the cylinder is stopped, and conversely, the air in the cylinder 8 is exhausted through the supply/exhaust pipe 7, and the piston 9 is again raised and returned as shown in FIG. An action is taken. By repeating the operations shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 as described above, the electrolytic solution 2 in the container 1 is efficiently circulated and stirred, and the temperature difference and specific gravity difference in each part of the electrolytic solution 2 are reduced. It becomes uniform in a short time.

In the above embodiment, a bubble generator was provided at the tip of the liquid return pipe, but this was omitted, and the tip of the liquid return pipe was simply opened into the electrolyte, and the piston 9 was inserted from the open tip. Even if the air accumulated below is released directly into the electrolyte in the battery case, the stirring effect due to the circulation of the electrolyte can be obtained.

In addition, in the above example, the tip of the liquid suction tube was located in the middle of the depth of the electrolyte, and the tip of the liquid return tube was positioned deep in the electrolyte, but in the case where a bubble generator is not provided. The tips of both tubes may be placed upside down, but in order to improve the vertical circulation of the electrolyte in the container, the tips of both tubes should be placed vertically apart. All you have to do is let it happen.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the electrolytic solution stirring device is provided at approximately the center of the battery case, but the position may be determined as appropriate depending on the arrangement of the electrode plate group within the battery case. For example, when the electrode plate groups are provided in a plurality of rows, the electrolytic solution stirring device can be provided between the electrode plate groups in each row.

As described above, the storage battery electrolyte stirring device according to the present invention includes a cylinder equipped with an air supply port on the side wall, a piston attached by a tension spring to one end plate forming one cylinder chamber of the cylinder, A stirring device main body is constituted by a gasket that is fixed around the piston and closes the air supply port and opens the air supply port at the end of the backward movement of the piston to allow air to flow into the other cylinder chamber, A compressor is connected to one cylinder chamber of the cylinder, and a liquid suction pipe with a backflow prevention valve and a liquid return pipe with a filter are respectively protruded from the other cylinder chamber, and the tip of the liquid suction pipe is connected to the battery container. The distal end of the liquid return pipe is opened into the electrolytic solution at a position vertically apart from the distal end of the liquid suction pipe. Then, by the return movement of the piston due to the action of the compressor and the tension spring, the electrolyte in the battery container is sucked into the other cylinder chamber through the liquid suction pipe and the liquid return pipe, and air is supplied from the air supply port. The electrolyte and the supplied air are released into the electrolyte in the battery cell through the return pipe by the reciprocal movement of the piston using compressed air from the compressor, allowing for good circulation of the electrolyte in the storage battery. This allows for efficient stirring.
Thereby, the temperature distribution and specific gravity distribution of the electrolyte in the battery cell can be easily made uniform, the utilization rate of the electrolyte and the electrode plate active material can be improved, and the capacity performance of the battery can be improved. In addition, when the electrolyte sucked into the cylinder is returned to the battery tank, floating active materials in the electrolyte are captured by a filter, so harmful substances floating in the electrolyte in the battery tank can be trapped. The fallen active material can be collected and removed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent short-circuit accidents between the electrode plates of the storage battery due to the above-mentioned floating active material, and improve the life performance of the battery.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part showing an example of a lead-acid battery equipped with an electrolyte stirring device according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are sectional views of main parts showing the operation of the electrolyte stirring device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Battery container, 2... Electrolyte, 5... Electrolyte stirring device, 5A... Stirring device main body, 6... Compressor, 7
...Supply and exhaust pipe, 8...Cylinder, 9...Piston, 10
B...Packing, 11...Tension spring, 12...Air supply port, 13...Liquid suction pipe, 14...Liquid return pipe, 16...Backflow prevention valve, 17...Filter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cylinder 8 with an air supply port 12 in a part of the side wall.
The inside of the cylinder 8 is divided into one cylinder chamber and the other cylinder chamber, and the cylinder 8 is provided so as to be movable reciprocally, and a tension spring 11 is attached to one end plate forming the one cylinder chamber of the cylinder 8. The attached piston 9 is fixed to a part of the periphery of the piston 9, and the air supply port 12 is closed and the air supply port 12 is opened at the end of the return movement of the piston 9 to enter the other cylinder chamber. A stirring device main body 5 consisting of a gasket 10B that controls the inflow of air.
A, a compressor 6 that supplies and exhausts air to and from the one cylinder chamber and causes the piston 9 to reciprocate; a liquid suction pipe 13 that opens into the liquid 2 and sucks the electrolytic liquid 2 in the battery container 1 into the other cylinder chamber during the backward movement of the piston 9; and the liquid suction pipe 13 from the other cylinder chamber. a backflow prevention valve 16 that prevents backflow of the electrolytic solution 2 that is about to flow into the battery container 1 through the cylinder chamber; The piston 9 opens into the electrolyte 2 in the battery container 1 at the position where the piston 9 is opened.
During the backward movement of the piston 9, the electrolytic solution 2 is absorbed into the other cylinder chamber, and when the piston 9 moves forward, the electrolytic solution 2 and the air in the other cylinder chamber are sucked into the electrolytic solution 2 in the battery container 1. A storage battery electrolyte stirring device comprising: a return liquid pipe 14 for discharging liquid into the liquid return pipe 14; and a filter 17 for filtering the electrolyte 2 flowing into the return liquid pipe 14.