Electrolyte density regulating device and method for a flooded lead-acid battery

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of battery technology, specifically disclosing an electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery. The device includes a valve body with a level sensor A, a level sensor B, and a density sensor connected to it. Level sensor A and level sensor B are used to monitor high and low electrolyte levels, respectively. A water injection pipe is connected to the valve body, one end of which is connected to a storage tank for storing pure water. A first solenoid valve is installed in the water path between the water injection pipe and the storage tank. The first solenoid valve, level sensor A, level sensor B, and density sensor are electrically connected to a controller. The valve body is cylindrical in shape, with a locking block at the top and a sealing groove on its outer surface containing a sealing ring. Compared to existing technologies, this invention ensures a stable electrolyte concentration and maintains a normal chemical reaction environment while adding pure water, which is beneficial to the battery's discharge performance and lifespan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a device and method for adjusting the electrolyte density of a flooded lead-acid battery. Background Technology

[0002] A flooded battery, also known as a "flooded lead-acid battery," is a type of vented battery in which the electrodes are completely immersed in the electrolyte. It contains a large amount of electrolyte (acid water), hence the so-called "flooded" design. The structural design aims to avoid capacity loss caused by the plates being exposed to air.

[0003] During charge-discharge cycles, the water in the electrolyte of flooded lead-acid batteries continuously evaporates and is consumed through electrolysis, requiring periodic replenishment with distilled water. Traditional manual water replenishment methods suffer from low efficiency, uneven replenishment, and a tendency to overflow or run out of water. Existing automatic water replenishment devices mostly use single-level control without adjusting based on electrolyte specific gravity, which can easily lead to abnormal acid concentrations. Furthermore, automatic water replenishment during charging carries the risk of thermal runaway.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still have significant shortcomings in terms of control accuracy, service life, and consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by adding pure water while ensuring a stable electrolyte concentration and maintaining a normal chemical reaction environment, which is beneficial to the battery's discharge performance and battery life, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An electrolyte density regulating device for a flooded lead-acid battery includes a valve body, on which a level sensor A, a level sensor B, and a density sensor are connected. Level sensor A and level sensor B are used to monitor high and low electrolyte levels, respectively. A water injection pipe is connected to the valve body, one end of which is connected to a storage tank for storing pure water. A first solenoid valve is installed in the water path between the water injection pipe and the storage tank. The first solenoid valve, level sensor A, level sensor B, and density sensor are electrically connected to a controller.

[0007] A further embodiment of the present invention is that the valve body is cylindrical in shape, a locking block is provided at the top of the valve body, a sealing groove is provided on the outer circumference of the valve body, and a sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove.

[0008] A further embodiment of the present invention is that the main bodies of liquid level sensor A, liquid level sensor B and density sensor are connected to the top of the valve body, and the probes of the three sensors pass through the valve body and extend to the bottom of the valve body.

[0009] A further embodiment of the present invention is that a water inlet channel is provided on the valve body, the top end of the water injection pipe is connected to the water inlet channel, and the bottom end of the water injection pipe extends to the bottom end of the valve body.

[0010] A further aspect of the present invention is that the bottom opening of the water injection pipe is sealed, and several water injection holes are provided on the side of the bottom end of the water injection pipe.

[0011] A further embodiment of the present invention is that a water outlet pipe is connected to the bottom end of the storage tank, one end of which is connected to the water inlet channel, and a liquid level sensor C is provided at the bottom end of the storage tank, which is electrically connected to the controller.

[0012] A further embodiment of the present invention includes an air inlet pipe, one end of which is connected to an air source and the other end of which is connected to a water outlet pipe downstream of the first solenoid valve, and a second solenoid valve is connected to the air inlet pipe.

[0013] A further aspect of the present invention is that the valve body is provided with an exhaust hole, which extends through the upper and lower ends of the valve body, and a filter plate is provided inside the exhaust hole.

[0014] A further embodiment of the present invention is that the valve body at the outlet end of the exhaust port is provided with a groove, and the filter plate is housed in the groove, the pore size of the filter plate being 3-5 μm.

[0015] A method for adjusting the electrolyte density of a flooded lead-acid battery, using the aforementioned electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery, includes the following steps: After the battery cell is fully charged and left to stand for 1 hour, when the battery cell voltage is stable, open the liquid hole plug at the top of the battery and insert the valve body into the battery through the liquid injection hole. The locking block is engaged with the top of the battery, and the valve body and the liquid injection hole are interference-fitted to complete the seal.

[0016] A density sensor detects the density of the electrolyte. Since there is a definite correlation between the electrolyte density and the sulfuric acid concentration, the controller's internal program can calculate the sulfuric acid concentration. If the sulfuric acid concentration is higher than the set value, the controller signals the first solenoid valve to open and replenish water. The flow rate is set to 1–50 ml / 1–30 s. The first solenoid valve starts intermittently for 1–30 s and then stops for 10–30 s. The second solenoid valve opens, blowing air to agitate the electrolyte and make its concentration uniform. After blowing air for 5–20 seconds, the second solenoid valve closes. Water replenishment stops when the concentration falls below the set sulfuric acid concentration.

[0017] When the liquid level sensor C detects that the liquid storage tank is below the minimum level, the controller will alarm to prompt the user to add pure water.

[0018] When the internal liquid level sensor A of the battery detects that the electrolyte level is at its lowest point, the controller will issue an alarm indicating that the battery needs a major manual maintenance, which involves adding a certain amount of electrolyte.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The electrolyte density adjustment device and method for a flooded lead-acid battery of the present invention ensures a stable electrolyte concentration and maintains a normal chemical reaction environment while adding pure water, which is beneficial to the battery's discharge performance and battery life.

[0020] The electrolyte density adjustment device and method for a flooded lead-acid battery of the present invention utilizes a filter plate with micropores that allow gas molecules to pass through smoothly while effectively intercepting acid droplets. This not only prevents acid from corroding the battery terminals and connecting wires but also avoids damage to surrounding equipment and devices.

[0021] The electrolyte density adjustment device and method for a flooded lead-acid battery of the present invention has several water injection holes at the bottom side of the water injection pipe, and pure water is discharged from all sides to ensure rapid and uniform electrolyte concentration.

[0022] The present invention relates to an electrolyte density adjustment device and method for a flooded lead-acid battery, wherein an air inlet pipe is connected to a valve body, and the air inlet pipe blows air into the battery to stir the electrolyte so that its concentration is uniform, thereby improving the electrolyte density adjustment efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in its working state.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1-valve body, 101-block, 2-liquid level sensor A, 3-liquid level sensor B, 4-density sensor, 5-water injection pipe, 501-water injection hole, 6-storage tank, 7-first solenoid valve, 8-sealing ring, 9-water outlet pipe, 10-liquid level sensor C, 11-air inlet pipe, 12-second solenoid valve, 13-exhaust hole, 14-filter plate, 15-controller, 16-battery. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] like Figures 1-2 As shown, this invention discloses an electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery, comprising a valve body 1, on which a liquid level sensor A2, a liquid level sensor B3, and a density sensor 4 are connected. The liquid level sensor A2 and the liquid level sensor B3 are used to monitor high and low liquid levels, respectively. A water injection pipe 5 is connected to the valve body 1, one end of which is connected to a storage tank 6 for storing pure water. A first solenoid valve 7 is installed in the water path between the water injection pipe 5 and the storage tank 6. The first solenoid valve 7, the liquid level sensor A2, the liquid level sensor B3, and the density sensor 4 are electrically connected to a controller 15.

[0028] The valve body 1 is cylindrical in shape. A locking block 101 is provided at the top of the valve body 1. Two sealing grooves are provided on the outer circular surface of the valve body 1, and a sealing ring 8 is installed in the sealing groove.

[0029] The main bodies of liquid level sensor A2, liquid level sensor B3 and density sensor 4 are connected to the top of valve body 1, and the probes of the three sensors pass through valve body 1 and extend to the bottom of valve body 1.

[0030] A water inlet channel is provided on the valve body 1, the top end of the water injection pipe 5 is connected to the water inlet channel, and the bottom end of the water injection pipe 5 extends to the bottom end of the valve body 1.

[0031] The bottom of the water injection pipe 5 is sealed, and several water injection holes 501 are provided on the side of the bottom end of the water injection pipe 5.

[0032] The bottom of the storage tank 6 is connected to a water outlet pipe 9, one end of which is connected to the water inlet channel. The bottom of the storage tank 6 is equipped with a liquid level sensor C10, which is electrically connected to the controller 15.

[0033] Example 2: This example is a further improvement on Example 1. The main improvement is that in Example 1, the mixing speed of pure water and electrolyte was slow during water injection; while in this example, the above-mentioned defect can be avoided. Specifically: The system also includes an air inlet pipe 11, one end of which is connected to an air source, and the other end is connected to a water outlet pipe 9 downstream of the first solenoid valve 7. A second solenoid valve 12 is connected to the air inlet pipe 11. An exhaust port 13 is provided on the valve body 1, extending through both the upper and lower ends of the valve body 1. A filter plate 14 is provided inside the exhaust port 13. A groove is provided on the valve body 1 at the outlet end of the exhaust port 13, and the filter plate 14 is housed within the groove. The pore size of the filter plate 14 is 5μm. In this embodiment, the air inlet pipe 11 is connected to the valve body 1. The air inlet pipe 11 blows air into the battery 16 to stir the electrolyte, making its concentration uniform and improving the electrolyte density regulation efficiency.

[0034] Apart from the above, this embodiment is exactly the same as Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0035] The specific working principle of this invention is as follows: After the nominal voltage of battery 16 cells is fully charged at 2V and left to stand for 1 hour, when the cell voltage stabilizes at 2.18-2.22V, open the liquid hole plug at the top of battery 16 and insert valve body 1 into battery 16 through the liquid injection hole. The locking block 101 is locked onto the top of battery 16, and the valve body 1 and the liquid injection hole are interference-fitted to complete the seal.

[0036] Density sensor 4 detects the density of the electrolyte. Since there is a definite correlation between the electrolyte density and the sulfuric acid concentration, the internal program of controller 15 can calculate the sulfuric acid concentration. If the sulfuric acid concentration is higher than 44.5%, for example, 44.8%, controller 15 signals the first solenoid valve 7 to open for water replenishment, with a flow rate set at 10 ml / 10 s. The first solenoid valve 7 is activated intermittently for 10 seconds and then stopped for 20 seconds. The second solenoid valve 12 opens, blowing air to agitate the electrolyte and make its concentration uniform. After blowing air for 15 seconds, the second solenoid valve 12 closes. The concentration is monitored until the sulfuric acid concentration falls below 44.5%, at which point water replenishment stops.

[0037] When the liquid level sensor C10 detects that the liquid storage tank 6 is below the minimum level, the controller 15 will sound an alarm to prompt the manual addition of pure water.

[0038] When the internal liquid level sensor A2 of the battery 16 detects that the electrolyte level is at its lowest, the controller 15 will issue an alarm indicating that the battery 16 needs to undergo a major manual maintenance, which involves adding a certain amount of electrolyte.

[0039] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent transformations or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for adjusting the electrolyte density of a flooded lead-acid battery, characterized in that: The system includes a valve body (1), on which a liquid level sensor A (2), a liquid level sensor B (3), and a density sensor (4) are connected. The liquid level sensor A (2) and the liquid level sensor B (3) are used to monitor high and low liquid levels, respectively. A water injection pipe (5) is connected to the valve body (1), and one end of the water injection pipe (5) is connected to a storage tank (6), which is used to store pure water. A first solenoid valve (7) is installed on the water path between the water injection pipe (5) and the storage tank (6). The first solenoid valve (7), the liquid level sensor A (2), the liquid level sensor B (3), and the density sensor (4) are electrically connected to the controller (15).

2. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The valve body (1) is cylindrical in shape. A locking block (101) is provided at the top of the valve body (1). A sealing groove is provided on the outer circular surface of the valve body (1), and a sealing ring (8) is installed in the sealing groove.

3. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The main bodies of the liquid level sensor A (2), liquid level sensor B (3) and density sensor (4) are connected to the top of the valve body (1), and the probes of the three sensors pass through the valve body (1) and extend to the bottom of the valve body (1).

4. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The valve body (1) is provided with a water inlet channel, the top end of the water injection pipe (5) is connected to the water inlet channel, and the bottom end of the water injection pipe (5) extends to the bottom end of the valve body (1).

5. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: The bottom of the water injection pipe (5) is sealed, and several water injection holes (501) are provided on the side of the bottom end of the water injection pipe (5).

6. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom end of the storage tank (6) is connected to the water outlet pipe (9), one end of the water outlet pipe (9) is connected to the water inlet channel, and the bottom end of the storage tank (6) is provided with a liquid level sensor C (10), which is electrically connected to the controller (15).

7. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes an air inlet pipe (11), one end of which is connected to an air source and the other end is connected to a water outlet pipe (9) downstream of the first solenoid valve (7), and a second solenoid valve (12) is connected to the air inlet pipe (11).

8. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The valve body (1) is provided with an exhaust hole (13), which passes through the upper and lower ends of the valve body (1), and a filter plate (14) is provided inside the exhaust hole (13).

9. The electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The valve body (1) at the outlet end of the exhaust port (13) is provided with a groove, and the filter plate (14) is housed in the groove. The pore size of the filter plate (14) is 3 to 5 μm.

10. A method for adjusting the electrolyte density of a flooded lead-acid battery, using the electrolyte density adjustment device for a flooded lead-acid battery as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: After the battery (16) cells are fully charged and left to stand for 1 hour, when the voltage of the battery (16) cells is stable, open the liquid hole plug at the top of the battery (16) and insert the valve body (1) into the battery (16) through the liquid injection hole. The density sensor (4) detects the density of the electrolyte. Since there is a definite correspondence between the density of the electrolyte and the concentration of sulfuric acid, the internal program of the controller (15) can calculate the concentration of sulfuric acid. If the concentration of sulfuric acid is higher than the set value, the controller (15) sends a signal to the first solenoid valve (7) to open the water supply. The flow rate is set to 1-50 ml / 1-30 s. The first solenoid valve (7) is started intermittently for 1-30 s / time and then stopped for 10-30 s. The second solenoid valve (12) is opened and the electrolyte is stirred by blowing air to make its concentration uniform. After blowing air for 5-20 seconds, the second solenoid valve (12) is closed. The concentration is detected until the concentration of sulfuric acid is below the set value, and then the water supply is stopped. When the liquid level sensor C (10) detects that the liquid storage tank (6) is below the lowest level, the controller (15) will alarm to prompt the manual addition of pure water; When the internal liquid level sensor A (2) of the storage battery (16) detects the lowest liquid level of the electrolyte, the controller (15) will issue an alarm, indicating that the storage battery (16) needs to undergo a major manual maintenance and a certain amount of electrolyte needs to be added.

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