Document vBZ16vgL1MML42EBMOkqaBgZ

% lyjmwrvwyijij w h 1 .............................. 3? L1A2^88A ~1' --.It. -J- ~ t J-- - I m I-I n if I1AJ'lTi.l ii r Vaifft ' >'-= .-icas^&ti man.. LEAD INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION 4X0 utxiNaroN av k mu k o MEW YORK 17. M. Y. CDHrlDENTTAL Not for Public *tIon Hay Tit, 19l9 SUBJECT! Report of Third Annual Signal Corps, Battery Branch. Research and Development Conference To Ecsbcrs of the Lend Industries Association! The Third Annual Bnttonr Branch Resc-rch rod Development Conference sponsored by the Battery Branch ox the U, S. /.ray Signal Corps was held May 11 nd 1?, 1^1*9 at the Molly Pitcher Hotel, Redbrok, l.'ow Jersey and the Signal Carps Engineering L'-borctory, Fbrt Vio mouth, Hew Jersey, The purpose of the conference as to gather together rcprcscntr.vlves of the battery industry to discuss speclid batt> ry problems relative to tilit'ry requlreccnts. The Lead Industries Associa tion was inrited to be represented. Confidential reports were presented by those conpanies and universities under contract to the Signal Corps for the purpose of conducting original Investigations on specific battery problsas. The following are abstracts and consents of those reports presented which nay bo of specific interest to nenbers of the Leri Industries Association, lew Temperature Storage Batteries by Hynan Handel. Battery Branch Purpose! The need for operating military equipment powered by leadacid batteri-s at sub-rero tenperatures has Bade necessary the lr.-proTc-- nent of the low tenperature performance of load-acid torage batteries. Accordingly, this project was undertaken to develop lead-acid batteries which will have satisfactory dl *chargo and charge characteristics at tcwporaturci down to -65 F, Experimental tfcrki Bcpcrircntal work has included the following! 1) Investigation of the fundamentals of tho chmistry of lcadacid storage battery reactions at low temperatures, ?) A detailed study of the behavior of the components such as : oxides, expanders, plates, separators, etc. 1) Extenaivo experiments with acids of different pecific gravities, varying plate thicknesses, varying plate combinations, etc, L) A lead-acid storage battery was designed that is capable of engine cranking at -65 T and with icfxovid low temperature operation under othar discharge conditions* V**" ?7 array y.S V 1 " tr'ujJ'jajR'a! MW :s -TO mi i 5  yw -,tj,?l4^-l-- l UZA885 Mil i?--~T*--^...... -v ---------- ~- M.||) vil'bfca. r k'niafiMM -2- Futurm Future investigations will includes 1) Continuation of the above line* of investigation until aoro comploto data is obtained* 2) - detailed investigation of the chemical and physical changes taking place in the battery during low temperature charging. 3) full evaluation of all data obtained and the incorporation of pertinont portions thereof into specification requirements for nllltary low temperature battorics. Contentsi This investigation shoved that b7 increasing the rusher of plates and using thinner plates in conjunction with finer oxides and thin nlcro-porous rubber separators, the low temperature performance of the lr-d-ocid battery was inporvod to the extent that it would servo satisfactorily at -65 F. Tests indicated the optimum battery to bo one in which the number of plat.s was increased from 17 to 27 with the thickness of a typical plate at 'j .052 inch. aagle-Picher Mo. 30 sublimed oxide was used in the preferred cell along with micro-porous rubocr separators which were O.CXXi7 inch thick. Upon questioning, the investigator stated that without benefit of actual calculations ho felt that the increase in the neraber of pistes coupled with the reduction in thickness would have no material effect on the quantity of lend used per battery as compared to the usual lead-acid battery of equal capacity* Sew Storage Battery Systems by L. t* Carrlclc, University of Uichittn Purposct The purpose of this study is the development of a storage battery for military use employing lead coated aluminum grids with the oljootivc of improving batteiy performance and conserving Experimental work! Experimental work has included! 1) i.-'pllcatlon of modern plating techniques to provido an adherent impervious coat of lead on oluninun and to eliminate the danger of local action. 2) Construction and testing of colls using load plated aluminum grids. Those uxpcrLmntal colls have shown excellent porfomanco at room temperature and at extreme low temperature* Future! Futuro plans include! 1) The testing of t, 12, and 2li volt batteries constructed using lead plated aluminum grids* 2) A plant study of production methods* 3) Investigation of suitable paste forwulao, separators, etc, .and the establishment of specifications for battorlos using lev* plated aluminum grids* .. mj 'w ujil i ii. m i n iiiytauMW-im' li' i* w w 'xjijhJtsvm'svriiPAinia- i-ivwp ^:" ' - -. ---- -* **-' -HBt'-. 'WMBPTPI iwgy LIA 2488 6 t^SUihii "* '1'iT? iknUVTi ir ^si. -3- Comoontsi After Investigating a number of possibilities, tho grid possessing tho optimum electrolytic end physical characteristics consisted of an alunlnun grid plated with 0.0005 Inch ooch of copper and nickel as undercoats followed by electro-deposition of pure lead in tho range of 0.010 to 0.015 Inch thick. The plating time la approximately one hour ana five minutes. Tho principle advantage of this typo of cell construction Is a saving of one-third to ono-holf of tho grid woieht In comparison with a normal 8 per cent nntiaonial load grid. It was felt that tho use for this particular typo ce^ as Halted primarily to tho military whore cost Is relatively secondary and whore weight Is critical, such os In some typos of military aircraft and nlrbomo ordnanco. Its use ovor a period of time was questioned because the normal call roaction in the lond-ncld battery would tend to penetrate the load on th: positivo plate and eventually attack tho aluminum. The negative plate should remain unattached. This svy be compensated for by a compromiser use positive plates constructed in the conventional aarsvr and negative plates made by lead plating aluminum grids. Of course, this would sacriflco some of the weight advantage. Fund "mantel Studies of the Lead-lcld 3yst.ua by . J. Hitehie, Soglo-- Plcher Co.* 1 2 3 Furpos-i The purpose of th.se studies Is to corr-late the crystrl chemistry of the lead compounds, particularly the oxides and sulfates, with the performance of the batteries in which they are used. Since the actual active material is made from the oxides and sulfates by the electrochemical process, tnc studies become an attenpt to relate the crystal chemistry of the starting materials with the crystals of tho electrolytic ally produced active materials* experimental workt Experimental work is following these four major lines of investigation* 1) Dcvclopm-.-nt of analytical methods for the precise determination of lcad/oxyg^n ratio in load oxides. - 2) Development of analytical methods for the determination of troco dement impurities* 3) The prep-ration of reference load compounds of unquestioned integrity. b) The' testing of Ui electrochemical characteristics of such compounds. Future! Future plans for the project call for a continuation of tho above items with nor.- nphasls on t^atlnj of the electrochemical characteristics of the oxid.s and the electrodes prepared for them. It is also planned to Investigate the possible application of radio active Isotope tracers lnt I'wm1 ill1 iW'WWB.1 pj|jw.. ii|! wp**aww. v". i <w ' *w* LIA24887 }a* -fr` --" : --* a* 1) Load conpeaind crystal chords try studies. 2) The drterclnntlon of impurities of very low cone nitration. 3) Battery reactions In general. Sint ;r;d Plates for Hlckrl-Cndmlun Storage Batteries by A.. Flclachn-,1 2 Nlckul-Cc&alua Battery Corp. Pu t t o s c j I:rvcstigstions have been conducted on the sintered plate nickci-c.ad-iiun storage battery with the ai of developing alkaline storage batteries for certain military applications. Expcrlnental workt Bcpcrinentnl work has Inciudodi 1) Construction of sintered plate nickel-c&dniun batteries with capacities fron 10 to 1?0 nnpcrc hours* These batteries have been assembled using plates of various thicknesses (0.039 inch or 1 d to 0.156 inch or L ess) end using n variety of plate combinations. 2) Promising results have been attained on discharge tests at temperatures fror. 80 F to -iiO F. Futurei Future plans will includct 1) Results of pres.vt furdas. nt 1 studies will be evaluated and the resultant knowledge applied to th.' design of nllltary nickel* cacfaiua batteries. 2) Specifications for nllltary nickel-<'dniun batt-rios will be established. Com^ntsi The Signal Corps is interested only in drv.loping the nickslcad-IurTbatt ry for uses In which th. lead-acid battery is inadequate or inadvisable, (They did not wish to provide specific cxaaplcs of such applications.) Carbonyl nick. 1 poud. r is sintered on 16 to 18 nesh nickel vrlrc cloth to nakc th' battery grid. Be>th nick-1 ponder and cadaiun, the prlra*ry cemstitu1 nis of the niekel-C'daiun battery, were highly criticl isat.irlala during the p-st w-r. Indiestlons arc that that condition will not b" mt'r'ally alter-d in the futura. Conclusions! The prlnary obJcctiv -s of th< Signal Corps ^rogr'a with respect to i-condary catteries ns reviewed by dlr.-ctor of prograa, Orerrvllle Ellis, arv as follows | 1) Fill the need for a high c*p-elty bnttiiy opr*ble at low tipcr-ture 2) Be rble- to chrrgc such a battery at low Vnpsraturc, V> ' - ' . < LIA248B8 ia&isd^M -S- 3) Improve the ampere-hour capacity per pound of military storage batteries* ti) Try to develop batteries which will not be constructed of materials critical in wartime. Other papers presented at the Conference were a* follow*i Studies of I'.annanese Dioxide, Charles '! Clark, Battery Branch --I1 '1 II -- -- ! -- T _ Electroltyic Manganese Dioxide, Dr. 0. H Kissin, Oeorri* School of Tec hno The Use of Pumace Block in Iky Cells, R >! Secord, Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc U^frnesium Dry Cells, rr, Roy Kirk, Dear Ch'icicel Conp*ny St~".d~rdii-'.tlon of Dry Cell B-.ttcrics, frank Brcnch ScMro, B*ttery Fundamental Studies on Jectroc|y.r.ic.-.l Systems, Or. B. C. Vosburyh, Duke Inivi-rsity Low Tcrpcr-ture Primary Betterl>-s. Dr. A. B. GTTCtt, Ohio State University Low Temp r'turc Alkaline Prir.-jy Batteries, T. C O'M n, P. R, K'.llory & Co* tew Tc-por~turr Dry Cell Batteries, tr. C, T. Morehouse, Olin Ind istrins Kih^-tc^iT2^B^ttcri^s, Da-. A. Tschb-ck. 3-ttcry Branch Very truly yours. iittilH'MiM H ernia. .f - '!! *_ 'M ewwswwawim w^pwi . .MflBgg? "1