Novel rechargeable NiCads oust lead-acid batteries
A
Saft Industrial Batteries product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jul 29, 2004
Saft's new Sunica.plus range of batteries has been developed to provide the optimum energy storage solution for renewable energy applications such as photovoltaic and wind-power systems.
Saft's new Sunica.plus range of batteries has been developed to provide the optimum energy storage solution for renewable energy applications such as photovoltaic and wind-power systems.
The specialised rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries offer performance that goes way beyond the limitations of lead-acid batteries.
This includes high efficiency, low maintenance and absolute reliability combined with the capability to operate in extreme temperatures and at any state of charge, while also offering a 20-year service life.
Saft, already the market leader in this rapidly expanding sector, expects the new Sunica.plus batteries to make a significant impact in the many applications now turning to clean renewable energy.
These include navigational aids, telecommunications, rail signalling, oil and gas platforms and electric utilities.
Sunica.plus batteries feature a stable alkaline electrolyte which does not change during charge and discharge.
This enables them to provide good cycling ability even in the unstable charging conditions found in renewable applications, they also operate efficiently irrespective of the charge level and are unaffected by accidental overcharge, deep discharges or inversion.
During the critical winter months for photovoltaic applications the charge efficiency of Sunica.plus batteries is close to 100%.
Generally, Sunica.plus batteries will operate in temperatures between -20 and +50C, but they can tolerate extremes of -50 to +70C with no risk of freezing electrolyte.
They offer a capacity of greater than 80% for a typical 120h discharge at -40C.
And when operating for extended periods at +30C they only suffer from a 20% decrease in life, compared with a 50% reduction for lead-acid batteries.
The alkaline electrolyte used in Sunica.plus does not react with steel and, as the battery remains electrochemically stable during charge and discharge cycles, the structure of the battery stays intact and unchanged throughout its life.
Most importantly, the battery's performance is completely predictable over its service lifetime, with no risk of the "sudden-death" failure found in lead-acid batteries.
At +20C, a Sunica.plus battery can achieve up to 8000 cycles at 15% depth of discharge (DOD) during its 20 year life.
Sunica.plus batteries only require topping-up with water at intervals of between one and four years, depending on the application.
They feature a new, optimised electrode design, combined with Saft's internal partial gas recombination process developed originally for the company's Ultima range.
A robust pocket plate construction and shock-resistant polypropylene casing material enables Sunica.plus to withstand all the harsh treatment expected during transportation over difficult terrain.
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Contact Saft Industrial Batteries
Tel +33 1 49 93 1807
Other Saft Industrial Batteries stories
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Self-launch glider uses Li-ion battery system
The Antares 20E, an electric self-launching glider developed by Lange Aviation and powered by a Saft custom-designed, rechargeable lithium ion (Li-ion) battery system, is back in series production.
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