Technical manual installation, operation and …

1 Technical manualinstallation, operation and maintenancefor Ni-Cd STM MR-MRE monoblocks type Introduction1 Important recommendations 21. characteristics of STM MR-MRE monoblocks General description operation principle of vented Ni-Cd cells Description of STM MR-MRE Ni-Cd monoblocks Mechanical Electrical Description of the centralized filling General description Working principle of a centralized filling ramp 72. Precautions and practices Transport, storage Water and electrolyte Water quality Harm caused in using sulfuric acid or acidic Electrical shocks and burns Possible dangers of hydrogen93. Installation Assembly into batteries Ventilation and cooling Assembly of centralized water filling system Precautions and recommendations General instructions for assembly 12 Contents 4.

2 Placing into service Procedure before use Commissioning cycle and water topping-up135. operation Operating temperature Two-level Normal charge Fast charge Maintenance charge Recommended charging Discharge17 Discharge current Voltage in discharge176. Periodic maintenance Topping-up operation 187. Repair and overhaul of Electrolyte specific Reconditioning19 Appendix 1 STM 5-100 MR G RD equipped20 Appendix 2 STM 5-100 MRE G RD equipped21 Appendix 3 STM 5-140 MR G RD equipped22 Appendix 4 STM 5-140 MR D RG equipped23 Appendix 5 Accessories for the central filling system24 Appendix 6 Basic specification for filling circuit hoses25 Appendix 7 Basic specification for the cooling system hoses26 Appendix 8 Basic specification for rigid connections27 Appendix 9 Basic specification for distilled or demineralized water28 This manual is intended for users.

3 Technical and contains the main characteristicsof the low maintenance Saft Ni-CdSTM MR-MRE provides guidelines for use and maintenance to obtain thebest performance and a longuseful life. The instructions are of generalvalidity for batteries in , every vehicle willhave a specific battery that hasbeen adapted to its ownmechanical, electrical, thermal,and other on the referencedmodel, specific instructions mightbe added to this document. For uses other than the onesdescribed in this manual ,contact 1!Install the battery such as toensure good ventilation.!Never allow a flame or fire tocome near the battery. !The electrolyte is harmful tothe skin and particularly tothe eyes. In the event ofcontact with eyes, washimmediately with runningwater and/or with a 10 %solution of boric acid.

4 !Wear base-resistant gloves and goggles to manipulatethe electrolyte.!Never use sulfuric acid oracidified water to top-upelectrolyte, as acid, even intraces, destroys the battery.!Use tools with insulated handles.!When batteries or vehiclesequipped with STM MR-MREbatteries are operated inclosed premises, natural orforced ventilation is respect the applicablesafety codes and regulationsof the country of operation . Important recommendations General description operation principle ofvented Ni-Cd cells The electrochemistry concept ofthe batteries is to supply energy toelectrical and electronic energy stored in abattery is converted into electriccurrent when the batteryis discharged. This electric currentis produced directly by chemicalreactions that occur withinthe battery.

5 The nickel-cadmium cell is anelectrochemical system in whichthe electrodes containing theactive materials undergo changesin oxido-reduction state withoutany change in physical state. The active materials aresubmerged in alkaline remain in solid state and do not dissolve during the oxido-reduction process. As a result,the electrodes are long-lived,since no chemical mechanismexists that might cause the lossof active materials. When a battery is charged or discharged, the hydroxide ions (OH) are transferred from one electrode to the other via the electrolyte. The alkalineelectrolyte, a liquid solution ofpotassium hydroxide (KOH) andadditives, provides the means oftransport for the does not participate in theelectrochemical reaction.

6 Its rolein the operation being passive,the electrolyte is only remotelyaffected by the state of charge of the nickel-cadmium overcharge, the watercontained in the electrolyte isdecomposed into oxygen a low maintenance battery,a significant amount of thesegases recombines in the battery,thus reducing water consumption. The remaining amount leaves the cells through the hydraulicsystem. Consequently, theelectrolyte level is reduced after a certain number of chargingcycles and periodic topping-up ofthe battery with water becomesnecessary (chapter ).1. characteristics of STM MR-MREmonoblocks Description of STM MR-MRE nickel-cadmiummonoblocks The low maintenance STMmonoblock consists of 5 nickel-cadmium cells of V nominalvoltage each.

7 These 5 cells are assembled intoa polypropylene monoblockcontainer to obtain a nominalvoltage of 6 V. The suffix MR indicates lowmaintenance and air suffix MRE indicates lowmaintenance and water the monoblocks aredelivered in single monoblockunits (not pre-assembled by Saftinto crates or boxes), themonoblock STM 5-140 MR issupplied with belt plates. In orderto decrease the weight of eachbattery unit during use, the beltplates of STM 5-140 monoblockscan be removed if the batterystructure (crates or boxes, etc.)provides sufficient mechanicalprotection against deformation ofthe small sides of the monoblocks(refer to chapter 3.).The monoblock STM 5-100 MRand MRE s do not haveindependent support plates.

8 The support structure is integratedin the monoblock container. The blocks will be assembled into a battery by serialinterconnection, in order toachieve the desired operationalvoltage. When the forced aircooling monoblocks are mountedinto a vehicle, sufficient spacealong the large sides must beprovided for correct cooling.!Electrodes The STM monoblocks areconstituted of sintered positiveelectrodes and plastic bondednegative electrodes. The positive electrode is createdby chemical impregnation ofnickel hydroxide and additivesinto a sintered nickel structure,placed onto a perforated nickel-plated steel strip. The negative electrode isobtained by pasting cadmiumoxide and a plastic bondingadditive onto a perforated nickel-plated steel , a multi-layerseparator is placed between thepositive and the negativeelectrodes to form the plate-group.

9 !ElectrolyteThe alkaline electrolyte in a nickel-cadmium battery is a liquidsolution of potassium hydroxide(KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH),or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) intodistilled or demineralized the electrochemicalreactions, the physical density ofthe electrolyte remains practicallyconstant. Under no circumstancescan it be used as an indicator ofstate of overcharging will cause anormal water consumption and aslow concentration in the physicaldensity of the difference in density betweena charged and a dischargedbattery can be considered to topping-up of the battery,the density of the electrolyte is atits lowest. After consumption ofthe electrolyte reserve, the densityof the electrolyte is at its construction of a monoblockdoes not permit electrolytesampling of an STM batterywith integrated ramp withoutmechanical destruction of themonoblock.

10 Measuring the densityof the electrolyte is thereforeimpossible. !SeparatorThe separator of the STMmonoblocks is multilayer, non-woven and made ofpolypropylene. It was selected to satisfy the three principalobjectives: to be a good insulatorbetween the electrodes, to havethe right porosity for excellentelectric performance duringcharge and discharge, andensure the passage of oxygenions during charge to facilitate he recombination.!ContainerThe monoblock container and the fluid chambers containing the cooling liquid, if present, aremade of polypropylene, as are the cover and the filling ramp that are welded to the containerafter the insertion and connectionof the battery plate-group and the Mechanical characteristics STM 5-100 STM 5-140 MRMRMRE withwithoutplatesplatesWeight (kg) (mm).