Reusable AGM Lead-Acid Cell Assembly for Hermetic Lab Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of Research and Development (R&D) in lead-acid battery technology is exacerbated by the need for numerous prototypes for laboratory testing, which requires hermetically sealed and reusable lead-acid battery cells that can maintain plate compression and be easily assembled.
Innovation Solution
A hermetically sealed, reusable lead-acid battery cell with AGM technology, featuring a simple assembly process, thermoplastic compartments, a rubber seal, and Pb-Sn terminals, which allows for the reuse of components once the plate life cycle is complete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hermetically sealed lead-acid battery cells are used for laboratory testing, then the reliability of testing is improved, but the cost of R&D increases due to the need for numerous prototypes
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cell is divided into separate replaceable components: the cell body (housing, seals, terminals) and the plate assembly (electrodes and separator). This segmentation allows the expensive cell body to be reused while only the consumable plate assembly needs replacement, reducing the number of complete prototypes needed for testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a system where the plate assembly is discarded after use and the cell body is recovered and reused for subsequent testing. This is achieved through quick-release mechanisms that allow rapid removal of plates from the cell body, enabling the same cell body to be used across multiple testing cycles with different plate configurations.
2Reliability
If lead-acid battery cells are designed for hermetic sealing, then the battery integrity is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to complex assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into two independent stages: first, the cell body is pre-assembled with hermetic sealing components (housing, gaskets, terminal seals) to ensure integrity; second, the plate assembly is separately prepared and then quickly installed into the pre-sealed cell body using simple fastening mechanisms. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing specialized assembly of the sealing components independently from the plate assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell body is pre-assembled and hermetically sealed before the plate assembly is installed. This preliminary action ensures that the complex sealing requirements are met during a controlled manufacturing step, while the subsequent plate installation can be performed using simpler, faster methods that do not compromise the already-established hermetic seal.
3Reliability
If lead-acid battery cells are designed to maintain plate compression, then the battery performance is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional compression mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The plate compression function is merged with the cell body structure itself. The housing includes integrated compression elements such as built-in springs or elastic deformable sections that automatically maintain compression on the plates when the cell is assembled. This eliminates the need for separate, complex compression mechanisms while ensuring consistent plate contact and optimal battery performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cost-effective and efficient means of testing lead-acid battery prototypes by enabling multiple uses of the same cell, reducing R&D costs and maintaining the integrity of the battery's performance through hermetic sealing and plate compression.
Implementation Method 1
using a special microporous fiberglass separator, impregnated with a controlled amount of electrolyte
Implementation Method 2
the oxygen, which has been released from the positive plate as a result of water dissociation, can migrate to the negative plate during the charging phase
Implementation Method 3
The two compartments are hermetically sealed by heat sealing, as shown in FIG. 2
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A lead-acid battery cell (100) with AGM technology for laboratory activities, comprising: - plates (P), flat for automotive and industrial applications, obtained by grid manufacturing technologies such as gravity fusion, continuous fusion, expanded and punched: positive (P+) and negative (P-); - fiberglass separators (M), wrapped around the positive (P+) plates; - electrolytic solution, the cell is assemblable and re-usable, being formed by - two thermoplastic material compartments (10, 20) for housing the plates (P); - a rubber seal (30), interposed between said compartments (10, 20); - conventional fixing and sealing means (40); - terminals (50, 52), of fused Pb-Sn alloy, welded to the group of plates (P) and having free threaded ends (50a, 52a), respectively; - thermoplastic material connectors (60). Said cell provides a precision pressure manometer for pressure monitoring and a rubber (elastomer) septum for gas capture and analysis.