Regenerating the electrolyte in alkaline accumulators - esp. in cadmium:nickel accumulators, without the need to drain spent electrolyte from accumulator

摘要

A reservoir is palced above each accumulator cell contg. spent electrolyte (I) so the latter is in contact with new electrolyte (II) in the reservoir; electrolyte (II) has a concn which differs from that of electrolyte (I). The accumulator is then completely discharged, followed by recharging and overcharging; and the resulting electrolyte (III) is the reservoir is analysed. The reservoirs pref. have the same vol. as the cells. If the analysis of electrolyte (III) after a first cycle is unsatisfactory, the reservoir is pref. drained and refilled with new electrolyte (II) and the cycle repeated one or more times using fresh electrolyte (II) for each cycle. The electrolyte is pref. KOH soln., and regeneration is stopped when electrolyte (III) contains 10 g/l K2CO3 and a KOH conc. near that of of new electrolyte(II). Used esp but not exclusively, for Cd-Ni accumulators contg. KOH electrolyte.