Effects of Lithium Sulfate and Zinc Sulfate Additives on the Cycle Life and Efficiency of Lead Acid Batteries

  • ACS Omega. 2021 Feb 2;6(6):4423-4429. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.0c05831.
Nnabundo N Musei  1 ,  Chijioke E Onu  1 ,  Kingsley I Ihuaku  2 ,  Philomena K Igbokwe  1
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5026, Awka, Nigeria.
  • 2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB 1526, Owerri, Nigeria.
PMID: 33623850 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c05831
Abstract

The influence of lithium and zinc sulfate additives on the cycle life and efficiency of a 2 V/20 A H lead acid battery was investigated. Charging and discharging processes (cycle) were carried out separately for dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte, sulfuric acid-lithium sulfate electrolyte, and sulfuric acid-zinc sulfate electrolyte solutions for one (1) hour each. The voltage after 30 min of the charging process yielded 2.30 V for dilute H2SO4, 2.74 V for H2SO4 + Li2SO4, and 2.90 V for H2SO4 + ZnSO4 solutions. A load of 6 V, 10.3 W incandescent lamp was applied, and after 30 min of the discharge process for each electrolyte, the voltage was 1.10 V for H2SO4, 1.90 V for H2SO4 + ZnSO4, and 1.30 V for H2SO4 + Li2SO4. A calculated efficiency of 77% for H2SO4, 74% for H2SO4 + ZnSO4, and 85% for H2SO4 + Li2SO4 solution was obtained. The cycle test is evidence that the addition of lithium sulfate salt improved the cycle life and efficiency of the 2 V/20 A H lead acid battery, while zinc sulfate offered no significant improvement. The cycle life of a battery increases with decrease in acid concentration, longer discharge time, and increase in efficiency.

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