Battery construction characterized by reactively limited gridless electrode means, and methods of making and operating same

摘要

A lead-acid battery construction includes gridless reactively limited positive and negative electrode means combined with separator material and an electrolyte. Reactive limitation of the negative electrode means may be realized by providing the negative electrode means with inner portions comprising non-reactive (i.e. solid) lead and outer portions of reactive (i.e. porous) lead. Reactive limitation of the positive electrode means may be provided by the said negative electrode means. The positive electrode means comprises PbO2 which occurs in outer reacting portions and inner non-reacting portions. The battery having such reactively limited electrode means may only be discharged to the extent that the inner reactive lead portions of the negative electrode means become completely transformed into PbSO4, whereupon all electrochemical reaction in the battery will cease. That portion of the PbO2 of the positive electrode means which has not been transformed into PbSO4 may be defined as the non-reacting portion. The electrode means as described above are further characterized by the non-reactive lead portions of the negative electrode means and the non-reacting portions of the positive electrode means being of sufficient mass to carry all required electrical current, both during charging and discharging of the battery. Thereby it becomes possible to provide a battery having gridless electrode means.