Temperature effect &

temperature compensation
 Agenda

Temperature affect

Temperature
compensation
Battery sizing
Battery operations

Summary
 Temperature
Lead acid batteries are typically rated at 77F (25C)
Temperature affects performance, life, and
recommended charging voltages
Temperature also affects other attributes including
the current acceptance during float charging, which
increases or decreases as the temperature of the
battery changes
Temperature compensation must be considered
during charging as well as when sizing batteries
 Battery selection
There are many items to be considered when
selecting a battery for stationary use
Application
End Voltages
AH Sizes
Power Density
Ventilation
Temperature
Space (room/cabinet) limitations
Budget
Expected service life of the installation
Experience level of maintenance personnel
 Battery sizing

IEEE 485 provides guidelines for sizing

batteries including..
Temperature correction
Design margin
Aging factors

IEEE 450 provides guidelines for battery

maintenance including.
Temperature compensation
 Battery sizing
Design margin
How much do you want to oversize the battery?
Default design margin is 1.0
Typical design margin value is 10% or 1.1

Aging factor
Where do you want the battery capacity at the end of life?
IEEE says the batteries are at the end of life at 80%
capacity
If you want the batteries to be at 100% capacity at the end
of life, then the aging factor has to be 1.25
 Temperature correction factor
Sizing correction
Must consider
temperature effect
on capacity
Lead-acid batteries
are typically rated at
25C (77F)
Size batteries larger
(higher Ahrs) if
operated at colder
temperatures
IEEE recommends
using the factor of 1,
when sizing at
higher than 25C
(77F)
Source: IEEE485-1997
 Temperature considerations

Environment
temperature
Ambient temperature why
it is important
Cold = Larger battery
Hot = Shorter life

Options based on
temperature
High temperature plastic
cover/container material
Outer steel sleeve
Electrolyte specific gravity
 Temperature effect during operation

Heat accelerates chemical activity and cold

slows it down

Low temperature will reduce available battery

capacity by approx. 0.5% per degree F

High temperature will

Increase capacity
Shorten life
Increase internal discharge rate
Raises charging current
Accelerates dryout for VRLA
Increases the watering interval for VLA
 Reduced temperature
Operating at lower temperatures is less harmful to
batteries than high temperature operation and will
often increase battery life

However, there are some negative effects

1) Capacity decrease
Resolved by applying a temperature correction factor when sizing
the battery
2) Undercharging
If the voltage is not temperature compensated (increasing the
charging voltage at lower temperatures), it is possible that the
batteries may become undercharged - resulting in loss of capacity
and life
 Elevated temperature
The elevated temperature effect can be reduced by
using a charger equipped with temperature
compensation feature

This feature reduces the charging voltage at

elevated temperatures, thus slowing down the grid
corrosion and gassing rate
 Temperature effect during operation

Time spent in cold

temperatures does
NOT make up for
time spent in hot
temperatures

IEEE 450 and 1188

provides sample
calculation methods

Source: IEEE450-2010
 Battery aging sample calculation
Source: IEEE-450-2010
 Temperature and float current
The increase in float current at elevated temperature
impacts the grid corrosion rate and the gassing rate
(almost doubles for every 15F in temperature rise)

Both the grid corrosion and the gassing rates

significantly impact the life of the battery

One of the side effects of high level of gassing is

that it may possibly lead to a thermal runaway
condition
 Thermal runaway sequence
All lead acid batteries generate heat during charging
The charging current breaks down the water component in
the electrolyte as the positive plate nears full charge called
electrolysis
Oxygen from electrolysis migrates and recombines into
water exothermic (generates heat)
Heat increases rate of chemical reaction and results in
higher charge current
Causes more gassing and heating

At some point, if no
remedial actions are
taken, the battery will
generate more heat than
it can dissipate

Results in jar/cover
meltdown or fire
 Uncontrolled temperature

Uncontrolled operating
temperature
Higher ambient temperatures lead to
higher battery temperature
Decreases batterys ability to
dissipate heat
Increases chemical reaction and
corrosion rate
Increases float current and heating
Accelerates gassing rate and
recombination
Results in dry-out and possible
thermal runaway
 Summary

Understand temperatures affect on battery

sizing, operation, and service life

Temperature compensation charging will

reduce the risk of thermal runaway

Control the ambient temperature

 Thank you!

Any Questions?