Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Technical manual
August 2018
Contents
Protective cover
• to prevent external
short-circuits Flame-arresting vents
• In line with IEC 62485-2 / Material: polypropylene.
EN 50272-2 standards with
IP20 protection
Cell container
Material: translucent
Plate group bus
polypropylene.
Connects the plate
tabs with the terminal
Plate tab post. Plate tabs and
Spot-welded both to the plate terminal post are
side-frames and to the upper projection-welded to
edge of the pocket plate. the plate group bus.
Plate
Horizontal pockets
of double-perforated
steel strips.
In order to provide an optimum solution for the wide range of battery applications which exist, the block battery
is constructed in three performance ranges.
Saft Nife
L M H
battery types
mini 3h 30 min 1s
Autonomy
maxi 100 h 3h 30 min
Power Power Starting,
Use of battery backup backup Power
Bulk energy backup
storage
Applications Engine starting - Switchgear - UPS - Process control -
Data and information systems - Emergency lighting -
Security and fire alarm systems -
Switching and transmission systems - Signaling
Stationary
Utilities
electricity, gas,
water production
• • •
& distribution
Oil and gas
offshore & onshore,
petrochemical
• • •
refineries
Industry
chemical, mining,
• • •
steel metal works
Buildings
public, private
• • •
Medical
hospitals,
• • •
X-ray equipment
Telecom
radio,
satellite, cable,
• •
repeater stations,
cellular base stations
Railroad
substations & signaling
• • •
Airports •
• •
Military
all applications
• • •
10
5.1 Type L 5.3 Type H 5.4 Choice of type
The L type is designed for The H type is designed for In performance terms the
applications where the battery is applications where there is a ranges cover the full time
required to provide a reliable demand for a relatively high spectrum from rapid high
source of energy over relatively current over short periods, current discharges of a second
long discharge periods. Normally, usually less than 30 minutes in to very long low current
the current is relatively low in duration. The applications can discharges of many hours.
comparison with the total stored have frequent or infrequent Table 2 shows in general terms
energy, and the discharges are discharges. The range is typically the split between the ranges for
generally infrequent. Typical uses used in starting and power the different discharge types.
are power backup and bulk backup applications. The choice is related to the
energy storage. discharge time and the end of
discharge voltage. There are, of
course, many applications
5.2 Type M where there are multiple
The M type is designed for discharges, and so the optimum
applications where the batteries range type should be calculated.
are usually required to sustain This is explained in the section 7
electrical loads for between “Battery sizing”.
30 minutes to 3 hours or for
“mixed” loads which involve a
mixture of high and low discharge
rates. The applications can have
frequent or infrequent discharges.
The range is typically used in
power backup applications.
There are a number of methods 7.1 The voltage window 7.3 Temperature
which are used to size nickel- This is the maximum voltage and The maximum and minimum
cadmium batteries for standby the minimum voltage at the temperatures and the normal
floating applications. The method battery terminals acceptable for ambient temperature will have
employed by Saft is the the system. In battery terms, the an influence on the sizing of the
IEEE 1115 recommendation maximum voltage gives the battery. The performance of a
which is accepted internationally. voltage which is available to charge battery decreases with
This method takes into account the battery, and the minimum decreasing temperature and
multiple discharges, temperature voltage gives the lowest voltage sizing at a low temperature
de-rating, performance after acceptable to the system to increases the battery size.
floating and the voltage window which the battery can be Temperature de-rating curves
available for the battery. discharged. In discharging the are produced for all cell types to
nickel-cadmium battery, the cell allow the performance to be
A significant advantage of the voltage should be taken as low recalculated.
nickel-cadmium battery as possible in order to find the
compared to a lead acid battery, most economic and efficient
is that it can be fully discharged battery.
without any inconvenience in
terms of life or recharge. Thus,
to obtain the smallest and least 7.2 Discharge profile
costly battery, it is an advantage This is the electrical
to discharge the battery to the performance required from the
lowest practical value in order to battery for the application. It may
obtain the maximum energy from be expressed in terms of
the battery. amperes for a certain duration,
or it may be expressed in terms
The principle sizing parameters of power, in watts or kW, for a
which are of interest are: certain duration. The requirement
may be simply one discharge or
many discharges of a complex
nature.
17
7.4 State of charge 7.6 Floating effect
or recharge time When a nickel-cadmium cell is
Some applications may require maintained at a fixed floating
that the battery shall give a full voltage over a period of time,
duty cycle after a certain time there is a decrease in the
after the previous discharge. The voltage level of the discharge
factors used for this will depend curve. This effect begins after
on the depth of discharge, the one week and reaches its
rate of discharge, and the maximum in about 3 months. It
charge voltage and current. can only be eliminated by a full
A requirement for a high state of discharge/charge cycle, and it
charge does not justify a high cannot be eliminated by a boost
charge voltage if the result is a charge. It is therefore necessary
high end of discharge voltage. to take this into account in any
calculations concerning batteries
in float applications.
7.5 Ageing
Some customers require a value As the effect of reducing the
to be added to allow for the voltage level is to reduce the
ageing of the battery over its autonomy of the battery, the
lifetime. This may be a value effect can be considered as
required by the customer, for reducing the performance of the
example 10%, or it may be a battery and so performance
requirement from the customer down-rating factors are used.
that a value is used which will
ensure the service of the battery
during its lifetime. The value to
be used will depend on the
discharge rate of the battery and
the conditions under which the
discharge is carried out.
18
8. Battery charging
8.1 Charging generalities system and accepts a To minimize the water usage, it is
The block battery can be smaller voltage window than the important to use a low charge
charged by all normal methods. two-rate charger. voltage per cell, and so the
Generally, batteries in parallel minimum voltage for the single
operation with charger and load The two-rate charger has an level and the two level charge
are charged with constant initial high voltage stage to voltage is the normally
voltage. In operations where charge the battery followed by a recommended value. This also
the battery is charged lower voltage maintenance helps within a voltage window to
separately from the load, charge. This allows the battery obtain the lowest, and most
charging with constant current to be charged quickly, and yet, effective, end of discharge
or declining current is possible. have a low water consumption voltage per cell (see section 7
High-rate charging or due to the low maintenance Battery sizing).
overcharging will not damage charge or float voltage level.
the battery, but excessive The values given as maximum
charging will increase water The values used for the block are those which are acceptable
consumption to some degree. battery ranges for single and to the battery, but would not
two-rate charge systems are as normally be used in practice,
shown in Table 4 below. particularly for the single level,
8.2 Constant voltage because of high water usage.
charging methods
Batteries in stationary
applications are normally
charged by a constant voltage Cell Single level (V/cell) Two level (V/cell)
float system and this can be of type
min max min max floating
two types: the two-rate type,
L 1.43 1.50 1.47 1.70 1.42 ± 0.01
where there is an initial constant
voltage charge followed by a M 1.43 1.50 1.45 1.70 1.40 ± 0.01
lower voltage floating voltage; or H 1.43 1.50 1.45 1.70 1.40 ± 0.01
a single-rate floating voltage.
Table 4 - Charge and float voltages for the block battery ranges
40%
30%
20%
SBLE Range - Available capacity after constant
voltage charge at +20 °C (+68 °F)
10% Current limit 0.2 C5A
0%
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Charge time (hours)
1.60 Vpc 1.55 Vpc 1.50 Vpc 1.45 Vpc 1.42 Vpc 1.40 Vpc
100%
90%
80%
70%
Available capacity (% C5 Ah)
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
SBM Range - Available capacity after constant
voltage charge at +20 °C (+68 °F)
10% Current limit 0.2 C5A
0%
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Charge time (hours)
20
These graphs give the recharge Figure 6(c) - Typical recharge times from a fully discharged state
for the SBH range
time for a current limit of
0.2 C5 A. Clearly, if a lower 1.55 Vpc 1.50 Vpc 1.45 Vpc 1.42 Vpc 1.40 Vpc
100%
value for the current is used,
e.g. 0.1 C5 A, then the battery 90%
0%
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Charge time (hours)
21
8.4 Charge efficiency 8.5 Temperature effects 8.6 Commissioning*
The charge efficiency of the As the temperature increases, It is recommended that a good
battery is dependent on the the electrochemical behavior first charge should be given to
state of charge of the battery becomes more active, and so, the battery. This is a once only
and the temperature. For much for the same floating voltage, the operation, and is essential to
of its charge profile, it is current increases. As the prepare the battery for its long
recharged at a high level of temperature is reduced then the service life. It is also important
efficiency. reverse occurs. Increasing the for discharged and empty cells
current increases the water which have been filled, as they
In general, at states of charge loss, and reducing the current will be in a totally discharged
less than 80% the charge creates the risk that the cell will state.
efficiency remains high, but as not be sufficiently charged.
the battery approaches a fully A constant current first charge
charged condition, the charging For standby application, it is is preferable and this should be
efficiency falls off. normally not required to such as to supply 200% of the
compensate the charging voltage rated capacity of the cell. Thus,
with the temperature. However if a 250 Ah cell will require
water consumption is of main 500 ampere-hours’ input,
concern, temperature e.g. 50 A for 10 hours.
compensation should be used if
the battery is operating at high * Please refer to the installation
temperature such as +35°C and operating instructions (see
(+95°F). At low temperature section 10).
(< 0°C/+32°F), there is a risk of
poor charging and it is
recommended either to adjust
the charging voltage or to
compensate the charging voltage
with the temperature.
www.saftbatteries.com
30
Saft is committed to the highest standards of environmental stewardship.
As part of its environmental commitment, Saft gives priority to recycled raw materials over virgin raw materials, reduces
its plants’ releases to air and water year after year, minimizes water usage, reduces fossil energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions,
and ensures that its customers have recycling solutions available for their spent batteries.
Regarding industrial Ni-Cd batteries, Saft has had partnerships for many years with collection companies in most EU countries, in
North America and in other countries. This collection network receives and dispatches our customers’ batteries at the end of their
lives to fully approved recycling facilities, in compliance with the laws governing trans-boundary waste shipments.
This collection network is undergoing minor adaptations to meet the requirements of the EU batteries directive. A list of our collection
points is available on our web site.
In other countries, Saft assists users of its batteries in finding environmentally sound recycling solutions. Please contact your sales
representative for further information.
Doc N˚ 21081-2-0818
Saft Edition: August 2018
Industrial Standby Division Data in this document is subject to change without notice
26, Quai Charles Pasqua and becomes contractual only after written confirmation.
Tel: +33 (0) 1 58 63 16 00 Saft Groupe S.A. - Société Anonyme au capital
de 26 300 205 €
Fax: +33 (0) 1 58 63 16 18 RCS Nanterre N 481.480.465
www.saftbatteries.com