Testing and evaluation of tubular positive lead-acid batteries

The possibility of using lead-acid batteries in tandem with fuel cells in applications such as submarine propulsion require a strong understanding of the transient behaviour of the lead-acid battery. One simple yet accurate method of describing the response at a given state-of-charge is as a resistor-capacitor model. Preliminary testing supports the model´s ability to describe the voltage response to load changes at a given state-of-charge. Furthermore, analysis of the steady state characteristics of the cells supports claims in the literature that the charge transfer resistance is partially a function of the inverse of the current. Once complete, the empirical relationship describing the circuit elements will be a useful tool to monitor the gassing effects during pulse charging