Battery Charging Current and Battery Charging Time formula

Here is the formula of Charging Time of a battery.

Charging Time of battery = Battery Ah / Charging Current

T = Ah / A
Example,
Suppose for 120 Ah battery,
First of all, we will calculate charging current for 120 Ah battery. As we know that
charging current should be 10% of the Ah rating of battery.
so charging current for120Ah Battery = 120 x (10/100) = 12 Amperes.
but due to losses, we can take 12-14Amperes for charging purpose.
suppose we took 13 Amp for charging purpose,
then charging time for 120Ah battery = 120 / 13 = 9.23 Hrs.
but this was an ideal case…
practically, this is noted that 40% of losses ( in case of battery charging)
then 120 x (40 / 100) = 48 …..(120Ah x 40% of losses)
therefore, 120 + 48 = 168 Ah ( 120 Ah + Losses)
Now Charging Time of battery = Ah/Charging Current
168 / 13 = 12.92 or 13 Hrs ( in real case)
Therefore, an 120Ah battery would take 13 Hrs for completely charging ( with
13A charging current).

Battery Chemistry Lead Acid (VRLA)

Battery Cell Size 12V

Voltage - Rated 12V

Capacity 7Ah

Size / Dimension 5’’* 3’’* 5’’ H

Termination Style Spade, .187" (4.7mm)

 Discharge Rate 2Hr

Standard Charge Current 1.0 Ah

Standard Charge Time 4.5H

Weight 4.2 kg
How do batteries work?
Electricity, as you probably already know, is the flow of electrons through a
conductive path like a wire. This path is called a circuit.
Batteries have three parts, an anode (-), a cathode (+), and the electrolyte. The
cathode and anode (the positive and negative sides at either end of a traditional
battery) are hooked up to an electrical circuit.
The chemical reactions in the battery causes a buildup of electrons at the anode.
This results in an electrical difference between the anode and the cathode. You can
think of this difference as an unstable build-up of the electrons. The electrons want
to rearrange themselves to get rid of this difference. But they do this in a certain
way. Electrons repel each other and try to go to a place with fewer electrons.
In a battery, the only place to go is to the cathode. But, the electrolyte keeps the
electrons from going straight from the anode to the cathode within the battery.
When the circuit is closed (a wire connects the cathode and the anode) the
electrons will be able to get to the cathode. In the picture above, the electrons go
through the wire, lighting the light bulb along the way. This is one way of
describing how electrical potential causes electrons to flow through the circuit.
However, these electrochemical processes change the chemicals in anode and
cathode to make them stop supplying electrons. So there is a limited amount of
power available in a battery.
When you recharge a battery, you change the direction of the flow of electrons
using another power source, such as solar panels. The electrochemical processes
happen in reverse, and the anode and cathode are restored to their original state and
can again provide full power.

HOW DOES A BATTERY WORK?

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be saved in various forms. One
way to store it is in the form of chemical energy in a battery. When connected in a
circuit, a battery can produce electricity.

Batteries convert Chemical Energy into Electrical Energy

A battery has two ends -- a positive terminal (cathode) and a negative terminal
(anode). If you connect the two terminals with wire, a circuit is formed. Electrons
will flow through the wire and a current of electricity is produced. Inside the
battery, a reaction between chemicals take place. But the reaction takes place
only if there is a flow of electrons. Batteries can be stored for a long time and still
work because the chemical process doesn't start until the electrons flow from the
negative to the positive terminals through a circuit.

A Chemical Reaction Takes Place in a Battery

A Simple example -- The lemon cell battery

Let's start with a very simple battery that uses a lemon that has two different
metallic objects inserted into it, for example a galvanized nail and a copper coin or
wire. The copper serves as the positive electrode or cathode and the galvanized
(zinc coated) nail as the electron-producing negative electrode or anode. These
two objects work as electrodes, causing an electrochemical reaction which
generates a small potential difference.

Since copper (Cu) atoms attract electrons more than zinc (Zn) atoms, if you place
a piece of copper and a piece of zinc in contact with each other, electrons will
pass from the zinc to the copper. As the electrons concentrate on the copper they
will repel each other and stop the flow of electrons from zinc to copper. On the
other hand, if you put strips of zinc and copper in a conductive solution, and
connect them externally with a wire, the reactions between the electrodes and
the solution will allow the electrons to flow continuously through the wire.

How does a lemon battery work?

A lemon battery is made with a lemon and two metallic electrodes of different
metals such as a copper penny or wire and a galvanized (zinc coated) nail.

The energy for the battery does not come from the lemon, but rather the
chemical change in zinc (or other metal). The zinc is oxidized inside the lemon,
exchanging some of its electrons in order to reach a lower energy state, and the
energy released provides the power. The lemon merely provides an environment
where this can happen, but they are not used up in the process.

Assuming that zinc and copper electrodes are used (such as a copper coin and a
zinc plated nail) then a single lemon could generate approximately 0.9 Volts. To
the left a series circuit of lemons shows 3.41 volts being produced.

NOTE: Potatoes, apples, sauerkraut, or any other fruit or vegetable containing

acid or other electrolyte can be used, but lemons are preferred because of their
higher acidity. In potatoes, for instance, the electrolyte is phosphoric acid, while
in lemons it is citric acid.

In a lemon battery, both oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of

electrons) occur. This battery is similar to the original "simple voltaic cells"
invented by Alessandro Volta (see below). At the anode, metallic zinc is oxidized,
and enters the acidic solution as Zn2+ ions:
Zn --> Zn2 + + 2 e-
At the copper cathode, hydrogen ions (solvated protons from the acidic solution in
the lemon) are reduced to form molecular hydrogen:
2H++ 2e- --> H2
What makes the electrons move?
When you let go of a ball you are holding it falls to the ground because the Earth's
gravitational field pulls the ball down. In a similar way charged particles such as
electrons need to have work done to move them from one point to another. The
amount of work per unit of charge is called is called the electric potential
difference between the two points. The unit of potential difference is called the
volt.
The potential difference between the cathode and anode are set up from the
chemical reaction. Inside the battery electrons are pushed by the chemical reaction
toward the positive end creating a potential difference.
It is this potential difference that drives the electrons through the wire.
Potential difference can be positive or negative, likened to gravitational energy,
moving up a hill or down a hill. In a battery the flow of electrons is downhill...
electrons can flow uphill as in the case of a battery charger.
Why don't electrons just move from anode to cathode inside the battery?
The electrolyte in the battery keeps lone electrons from going straight from the
anode to the cathode within the battery. When the terminals are connected with a
conductive wire, electrons can easily flow from anode to cathode.
What direction do electrons move in the wire?
Electrons are negatively charged, so they will be attracted to the positive end of a
battery and repelled by the negative end. When the battery is hooked up to a device
that lets the electrons flow through it, they flow from negative (anode) to positive
(cathode) terminal.
Who invented the electrochemical cell (battery)?

The battery made by Volta is credited as the first electrochemical cell. It consists
of two electrodes: one made of zinc, the other of copper. The electrolyte is
sulfuric acid or a brine mixture of salt and water. The electrolyte exists in the form
2H+ and SO42-. The zinc, which is higher than both copper and hydrogen in the
electrochemical series, reacts with the negatively charged sulfate SO 42- . The
positively charged hydrogen ions (protons) capture electrons from the copper,
forming bubbles of hydrogen gas, H2. This makes the zinc rod the negative
electrode and the copper rod the positive electrode.

We now have two terminals, and the current will flow if we connect them. The
reactions in this cell are as follows:

zinc
Zn --> Zn2+ + 2e-

sulfuric acid

2H+ + 2e- --> H2

The copper does not react, functioning as an electrode for the chemical reaction.

How does a modern battery (zinc-carbon battery) work?

A zinc–carbon dry cell or battery is packaged in a zinc can that serves as both a
container and negative terminal (anode). The positive terminal is a carbon rod
surrounded by a mixture of manganese dioxide and carbon powder. The
electrolyte used is a paste of zinc chloride and ammonium chloride dissolved in
water. The carbon (graphite) rod is what collects electrons coming from the
anode portion of the battery to return to the cathode portion of the battery.
Carbon is the only practical conductor material because every common metal will
quickly corrode away in the positive electrode in salt based electrolyte.

The zinc is oxidized according to the following half-equation.

Zn(s) --> Zn2+(aq) + 2 e- [e° = -1.04 volts]

The manganese dioxide is mixed with carbon powder to increase the electrical
conductivity. The reaction is as follows:
2MnO2(s) + 2 e- + 2NH4Cl(aq)-->
Mn2O3(s) + 2NH3(aq) + H2O(aq) + 2 Cl- [e° ˜ +.5 v]

and the CL combines with the Zn2+.

In this half-reaction, the manganese is reduced from an oxidation state of (+4) to

(+3). There are other possible side-reactions, but the overall reaction in a zinc-
carbon cell can be represented as:

Zn(s) + 2MnO2(s) + 2NH4Cl(aq) ---> Mn2O3(s) + Zn(NH3)2Cl2 (aq) + H2O(l)

The battery has an e.m.f. of about 1.5 V.

What are the different types of batteries?

Different types of batteries use different types of chemicals and chemical

reactions. Some of the more common types of batteries are:

Used in Duracell® and Energizer® and other alkaline

batteries. The electrodes are zinc and manganese-oxide. The
Alkaline battery electrolyte is an alkaline paste.

These are used in automobiles. The electrodes are made of

lead and lead-oxide with a strong acid as the electrolyte.
Lead-acid battery

These batteries are used in cameras for the flash bulb. They
are made with lithium, lithium-iodide and lead-iodide. They
Lithium battery can supply surges of electricity for the flash.

Lithium battery These batteries are used in cameras for the flash bulb. They
are made with lithium, lithium-iodide and lead-iodide. They
 can supply surges of electricity for the flash.

These batteries are found in laptop computers, cell phones

Lithium-ion battery and other high-use portable equipment.

The electrodes are nickel-hydroxide and cadmium. The

Nickel-cadmium orelectrolyte is potassium-hydroxide.
NiCad battery

Zinc and carbon are used in all regular or standard AA, C and
Zinc-carbon batteryD dry-cell batteries. The electrodes are made of zinc and
or standard carboncarbon, with a paste of acidic materials between them
battery – serving as the electrolyte.

Ever wondered why people with tooth fillings sometimes complain of getting an
electric shock like sensation while they nibble on to chocolates from the foil
coating or from the silver on desserts? It is not just a fleeting sensation, but is
actually a minor electric current tantalizing the nerves underneath the tooth. A
momentary cell is formed between the foil and the amalgam of the tooth filling
with the acidic saliva acting like the transport medium, the electrolyte.
History

Electricity has been by far, one of the most important and novel discoveries to
mankind. With population getting increasingly mobile, they have gravitated more
towards portable solutions of electricity, which manifests itself in the form of
Batteries. Electricity has been around us since the beginning of time, but its
practical use has been at our disposal since a few hundred years only.

While history stands witness to many artifacts such as the Parthian Battery
unearthed in Baghdad, which tell us that the concept had been existent even in
early civilizations like Egyptian and Babylonian, their use had been limited to
electroplating. In 1660, Otto von Guericke succeeded in generating static charge
in the form of sparks on rubbing and turning a sulfur globe. In 1791, Luigi Galvani
discovered animal electricity while experimenting on a frog with metallic prongs.
Prompted by the findings of this experiment, Alessandro Volta, the inventor of
the Electric Battery, initiated a series of experiments using different metals and
found out that certain fluids could generate a continuous flow of electricity when
used as a conducting medium. This led to the invention of the first voltaic cell
commonly known as The Battery in 1800.
Sir Humphry Davy discovered the phenomenon of chemical decomposition
(Electrolysis) on passing electricity through substances. In 1802, William
Cruickshank designed the first electrical battery for mass production which
resembled the flooded battery we still use. In 1859, Gaston Plante invented the
first rechargeable battery based on lead acid system which is still very popular
and hence came the first secondary cell. In 1899, Waldmar Jungner invented the
Nickel-Cadmium battery using Nickel for cathode and Cadmium for anode. It was
further improved by many people like Thomas Edison, Shlecht, Ackermann and
Georg Nuemann. It remained popular for many years to come until
environmentalists became concerned about contamination, if NiCd were disposed
off carelessly. This led to the development of Nickel Metal Hydrides and later the
popular Lithium Ion batteries. Numerous local, national and international players
are involved in this business providing portable battery solutions, a few of the key
players being Duracell International Inc., Electric Fuel Battery Corp., Energizer
Holdings Inc., GP Batteries International Ltd., Philips, Renata SA, Toshiba Battery
Co. Ltd., VARTA Consumer Batteries GmbH & Co. KGaA, Sony Electronics Asia
Pacific Pte. Ltd., ZeniPower Battery Co. Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., LG Chem. Ltd Exide
industries Ltd. etc.

What is a Battery

So what actually is a Battery? It is a collection of one or more electrochemical

cells in which stored chemical energy is converted into electrical energy. The
principles of operation haven’t changed much since the time of Volta. Each cell
consists of two half cells connected in series through an electrolytic solution. One
half cell houses the Anode to which the positive ions migrate from the Electrolyte
and the other houses the Cathode to which the negative ones drift. The two cells
are may be connected via a semi permeable membranous structure allowing ions
to flow but not the mixing of electrolytes as in the case of most primary cells or in
the same solution as in secondary cells.

Different amounts of voltages are built up according to the separation between

the ions in the electrochemical series which results in the flow of ions in the
solution and electrons in the external circuitry in the form of current. The
performance of the cell continues to dip gradually as the concentration of ions in
the solutions decrease, marked by an increase in internal resistance eventually
leading to the exhaustion of the battery. The reversibility of this condition
classifies the battery into two major categories, Primary and Secondary.