Basic Charging Methods

Constant Voltage A constant voltage charger is basically a DC power supply which in its simplest form may consist of a step down transformer from the mains with a rectifier to provide the DC voltage to charge the battery. Such simple designs are often found in cheap car battery chargers. The lead-acid cells used for cars and backup power systems typically use constant voltage chargers. In addition lithium-ion cells often use constant voltage systems although these usually are more comple! with added circuitry to protect both the batteries and the user safety. Constant Current Constant current chargers vary the voltage they apply to the battery to maintain a constant current flow switching off when the voltage reaches the level of a full charge. This design is usually used for nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride cells or batteries. Taper Current This is charging from a crude unregulated constant voltage source. It is not a controlled charge as in " Taper above. The current diminishes as the cell voltage #back emf$ builds up. There is a serious danger of damaging the cells through overcharging. To avoid this the charging rate and duration should be limited. Suitable for S%A batteries only. Pulsed charge &ulsed chargers feed the charge current to the battery in pulses. The charging rate #based on the average current$ can be precisely controlled by varying the width of the pulses typically about one second. During the charging process short rest periods of '( to )( milliseconds between pulses allow the chemical actions in the battery to stabilise by e*ualising the reaction throughout the bulk of the electrode before recommencing the charge. This enables the chemical reaction to keep pace with the rate of inputting the electrical energy. It is also claimed that this method can reduce unwanted chemical reactions at the electrode surface such as gas formation crystal growth and passivation. #See also &ulsed Charger below$. If re*uired it is also possible to sample the open circuit voltage of the battery during the rest period Burp charging Also called Reflex or Negative Pulse Charging +sed in con,unction with pulse charging it applies a very short discharge pulse typically ' to ) times the charging current for - milliseconds during the charging rest period to depolarise the cell. These pulses dislodge any gas bubbles which have built up on the electrodes during fast charging speeding up the stabilisation process and hence the overall charging process. The release and diffusion of the gas bubbles is known as .burping.. Controversial claims have been made for the improvements in both the charge rate and the battery lifetime as well as for the removal of dendrites made possible by this techni*ue. The least that can be said is that .it does not damage the battery.. IUI Charging This is a recently developed charging profile used for fast charging standard flooded lead acid batteries from particular manufacturers. It is not suitable for all lead acid batteries. Initially the battery is charged at a constant #I$ rate until the cell

voltage reaches a preset value - normally a voltage near to that at which gassing occurs. This first part of the charging cycle is known as the bulk charge phase. /hen the preset voltage has been reached the charger switches into the constant voltage #+$ phase and the current drawn by the battery will gradually drop until it reaches another preset level. This second part of the cycle completes the normal charging of the battery at a slowly diminishing rate. 0inally the charger switches again into the constant current mode #I$ and the voltage continues to rise up to a new higher preset limit when the charger is switched off. This last phase is used to e*ualise the charge on the individual cells in the battery to ma!imise battery life. See Cell 1alancing. Trickle charge Trickle charging is designed to compensate for the self discharge of the battery. Continuous charge. %ong term constant current charging for standby use. The charge rate varies according to the fre*uency of discharge. 2ot suitable for some battery chemistries e.g. 2i34 and %ithium which are susceptible to damage from overcharging. In some applications the charger is designed to switch to trickle charging when the battery is fully charged. Float charge. The battery and the load are permanently connected in parallel across the DC charging source and held at a constant voltage below the battery5s upper voltage limit. +sed for emergency power back up systems. 3ainly used with lead acid batteries. Rando charging All of the above applications involve controlled charge of the battery however there are many applications where the energy to charge the battery is only available or is delivered in some random uncontrolled way. This applies to automotive applications where the energy depends on the engine speed which is continuously changing. The problem is more acute in 6" and 46" applications which use regenerative braking since this generates large power spikes during braking which the battery must absorb. 3ore benign applications are in solar panel installations which can only be charged when the sun is shining. These all re*uire special techni*ues to limit the charging current or voltage to levels which the battery can tolerate.

Float Charging -- Method of recharging in which a secondary cell is continuously connected to a constant-voltage supply that maintains the cell in fully charged condition

Float : Lower Voltage Boost : Higher Voltage and current For Ni-Cd constant current and constant voltage Float voltage !"# to !"#$ v% cell Current limit ma& '"$C(amp Nicd: )*C +'+$, : V-L. )*C+'/0+ $''.h '"$C( means $''%( 1 #' amp for five hours

Constant-Voltage Charging Constant-voltage 2often called constant-potential3 chargers maintain

nearly the same voltage input to the 4attery throughout the charging process regardless of the 4attery5s state of charge" Constant-voltage chargers provide a high initial current to the 4attery 4ecause of the greater potential difference 4etween the 4attery and charger" . constant-voltage charger may return as much as 6'7 of the previous discharge in the first ,' minutes" 8his proves useful in many 4attery applications involving multiple discharge scenarios" .s the 4attery charges its voltage increases 9uic:ly" 8his reduces the potential that has 4een driving the current with a corresponding rapid decrease in charge current as depicted in Figure !+" .s a result even though the 4attery reaches partial charge 9uic:ly o4taining a full charge re9uires prolonged charging" ;iven this 4ehavior constant-voltage chargers are fre9uently found in applications that normally allow e&tended charging periods to attain full charge" Constant-voltage chargers should not 4e used where there is fre9uent cycling of the 4attery" -epeated discharges without returning the cell to its full charge will eventually decrease the 4attery capacity and may damage individual cells" Constant-voltage chargers are most often used in two very different modes: as a fast charger to restore a high percentage of charge in a short time or as a float charger to minimi<e the effects of overcharge on 4atteries having infre9uent discharges as descri4ed 4elow"

Float Charging Float charging is most commonly used for 4ac:up and emergency power applications
where the discharge of the 4attery is infre9uent" =uring float charging the charger 4attery and load are connected in parallel" 8he charger operates off the normal power supply which provides current to the load during operation" )n the event of normal power supply failure the 4attery provides 4ac:up power until the normal power supply is restored" >ince most e9uipment re9uires alternating current a rectifier circuit is usually added 4etween the 4attery and the load" Float chargers are typically constant-voltage chargers that operate at a low voltage" ?perating the charger at a low voltage usually less than a4out $"# V per cell :eeps the charging current low and thus minimi<es the damaging effects of high-current overcharging" For valve-regulated 4atteries an important consideration when float charging is the possi4le occurrence of a phenomena called @thermal runaway@ 2discussed in the definitions and the section on >ealed Lead-.cid Batteries3" 8he 4est way of preventing thermal runaway is through the use of a temperature-compensated 4attery charger" . temperature-compensated charger adAusts the float voltage 4ased upon 4attery temperature" 8emperature-compensated chargers will increase the relia4ility and prolong the life of the 4attery%charger system" 8hey are especially useful for 4atteries located in areas where temperatures may 4e significantly a4ove am4ient conditions

Constant-Current Charging Constant-current charging simply means that the charger supplies a
relatively uniform current regardless of the 4attery state of charge or temperature" Constant-current charging helps eliminate im4alances of cells and 4atteries connected in series" >ingle-rate constant-current chargers are most appropriate for cyclic operation where a 4attery is often re9uired to o4tain a full charge overnight" .t these high rates of charge there will 4e some venting of gases" Bositive grid o&idation will occur at elevated temperatures or e&tended overcharge times" Normally the user of a cyclic application is instructed to remove the 4attery from a single-rate constant-current charger within a period of time that permits full charge yet prevents e&cessive grid o&idation" .nother type of constant-current charger is the split-rate charger" . split-rate charger applies a high initial current to the cell and then switches to a low rate 4ased on time of charge voltage or 4oth" 8he choice of switching method and switch point may 4e affected 4y the relative priority of minimi<ing venting 2early switching3 versus maintaining good cell 4alance 2later switching3" )n some split- rate chargers the charger will alternate 4etween the high and low rate as the 4attery approaches full charge" >plit-rate chargers are useful when the discharge cannot 4e classified as float or cyclic 4ut lies somewhere 4etween the two applications"

Trickle Charging . tric:le charge is a continuous constant-current charge at a low 2a4out C%!''3 rate
which is used to maintain the 4attery in a fully charged condition" 8ric:le charging is used to recharge a 4attery for losses from self-discharge as well as to restore the energy discharged during intermittent use of the 4attery" 8his method is typically used for >L) and similar type 4atteries when the 4attery is removed

from the vehicle or its regular source of charging" 8ric:le charging is also used widely for porta4le tools and e9uipment such as flashlights and 4attery powered screwdrivers"