Lead Acid Battery
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Lead acid battery is defined as an electrical storage device which utilizes a reversible chemical reaction to store energy. Lead acid batteries were invented by the French physicist known as Gaston Plante in the year 1859. It was first demonstrated to the French Academy of Sciences in 1860. These batteries are considered to be the oldest type of rechargeable battery. It is used with a combination of lead plates or grids and an electrolyte consisting of a diluted sulphuric acid to convert electrical energy into potential chemical energy and back.
Lead-acid batteries are used for a vast number of purposes such as in automobiles, forklifts and large uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. The valve regulated lead acid batteries have also been increasingly deployed in outdoor telecommunications applications as a source of energy when a primary source of power is interrupted.
Lead acid batteries are considered as hazardous for the health as it may produce burns and other permanent damage if we come into close contact with it because of the electrolyte used in it. It is highly recommended that you protect yourself properly while dealing with electrolyte. But there are also innumerable advantages of lead acid batteries which are as follows:
• It is considered as highly economical because of its low cost. Considering its price range, lead-acid batteries provide the greatest energy density in terms of the amount of energy produced per pound and its long life cycle.
• Lead acid battery has large environmental advantage, i.e. it can be recycled at an extraordinarily high rate. Approximately ninety seven percent of the lead batteries are recycled and reused in new batteries. It is considered as the world’s most recycled product.
• It is considered as highly reliable compared to any other battery available in the market with the track record of over 140 years of its development. It is relatively much safer when compared to other electrochemical systems
• The self-discharge rate is among the lowest in lead acid batteries.
• It can very efficiently deliver very high currents.
• It can be left on trickle or float charge for prolonged periods.
• It is available in wide range of sizes and capacities
• It has numerous suppliers worldwide.
• Top of all it also has a low maintenance requirements
The lists of few leading lead acid manufacturing companies around the world are as follows:
All Power Battery (Canada), GS Battery (U.S.A) Inc., Hangzhou Haijiu Battery Co. Ltd (China), Global Technology Systems, Inc. (U.S.A) Hawker Energy Products Inc. (U.S.A), Hawker Powersource, Inc. (U.S.A), Shamas Battery Co., Ltd. (China) etc.