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Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems

One of the main factors limiting optimisation of PV system designs over the life of the system has been the lack of battery test data appropriate to PV applications. The main objective of this study was to determine accurate empirical data for locally available lead-acid batteries which could be use...

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Main Author: Purcell, C J de V
Other Authors: Eberhard, Anton
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Energy Research Centre 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Purcell, C J de V
author2 Eberhard, Anton
author_browse Eberhard, Anton
Purcell, C J de V
author_facet Eberhard, Anton
Purcell, C J de V
author_sort Purcell, C J de V
collection Thesis
description One of the main factors limiting optimisation of PV system designs over the life of the system has been the lack of battery test data appropriate to PV applications. The main objective of this study was to determine accurate empirical data for locally available lead-acid batteries which could be used in photovoltaic systems and to present this data in a format directly applicable to PV system designers. The study included (i) a review of battery performance regimes typical of PV systems; (ii) a literature review of lead-acid battery performance and reactions important to PV applications, battery electrical models, battery life models, a review of specialist PV battery designs and the interaction of battery and voltage regulator in PV systems;. (iii) a review of testing and research literature, and the design of a suite of experimental procedures suitable for characterising batteries under PV operating regimes; (iv) the design and construction of a specialised battery test-unit to automatically perform tests and capture data; (v) selection, testing and characterisation of five generic types of batteries which could be used in local PV applications. The five types of lead-acid battery were: 1) conventional calcium alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 2) low antimony alloy positive grid, conventional calcium negative grid, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 3) low antimony alloy positive grid, heat treated calcium negative grid, flat plate, immobilised absorbed electrolyte, sealed casing with 0 2 cycle gas recombination; 4) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 5) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, tubular plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing. Selenium grid alloy cells and gelled electrolyte batteries were not represented amongst the batteries tested, owing to problems of availability or cost.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:38.580Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher Energy Research Centre
publisherStr Energy Research Centre
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/18221 Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems Purcell, C J de V Eberhard, Anton Cowan, Bill Energy Research Applied Science One of the main factors limiting optimisation of PV system designs over the life of the system has been the lack of battery test data appropriate to PV applications. The main objective of this study was to determine accurate empirical data for locally available lead-acid batteries which could be used in photovoltaic systems and to present this data in a format directly applicable to PV system designers. The study included (i) a review of battery performance regimes typical of PV systems; (ii) a literature review of lead-acid battery performance and reactions important to PV applications, battery electrical models, battery life models, a review of specialist PV battery designs and the interaction of battery and voltage regulator in PV systems;. (iii) a review of testing and research literature, and the design of a suite of experimental procedures suitable for characterising batteries under PV operating regimes; (iv) the design and construction of a specialised battery test-unit to automatically perform tests and capture data; (v) selection, testing and characterisation of five generic types of batteries which could be used in local PV applications. The five types of lead-acid battery were: 1) conventional calcium alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 2) low antimony alloy positive grid, conventional calcium negative grid, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 3) low antimony alloy positive grid, heat treated calcium negative grid, flat plate, immobilised absorbed electrolyte, sealed casing with 0 2 cycle gas recombination; 4) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 5) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, tubular plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing. Selenium grid alloy cells and gelled electrolyte batteries were not represented amongst the batteries tested, owing to problems of availability or cost. 2016-03-28T14:21:58Z 2016-03-28T14:21:58Z 1991 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18221 eng application/pdf Energy Research Centre Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Energy Research
Applied Science
Purcell, C J de V
Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
title_full Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
title_fullStr Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
title_full_unstemmed Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
title_short Battery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems
title_sort battery performance characterisation for stand alone photovoltaic systems
topic Energy Research
Applied Science
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18221
work_keys_str_mv AT purcellcjdev batteryperformancecharacterisationforstandalonephotovoltaicsystems