Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Diy recycling a Sealed battery

anoopai - 25-12-2012 at 22:03

Anyone have a procedure to recycle a sealed battery usually used in UPS ?

elementcollector1 - 25-12-2012 at 22:14

What's a UPS?

anoopai - 25-12-2012 at 22:43

PC ups , like that of APC


http://images-en.busytrade.com/251363800/Original-Panasonic-...

[Edited on 26-12-2012 by anoopai]

elementcollector1 - 25-12-2012 at 23:24

According to the person I just asked, it's a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery. If you want to recycle the materials, simply cut it open and separate everything out. If you mean actual recycling, well... just take it to a recycling center.
Can't really give much more information, because NiMH batteries are maybe the one kind that I've never had the chance to take apart. Sorry about that.

Oscilllator - 26-12-2012 at 00:15

Be careful when disassembling NMH batteries!
I have disassembled quite a few, and have come across an alarming phenomenon. The stainless steel mesh electrode has a kind of paste on it. This has a tendency to spontaneously catch fire. If burns slowly, turning the electrode red hot and releasing lots of delicious fumes. Ignition is unavoidable so I'm afraid you'll have to ignite it manually if it doesn't ignite itself, that way it wont burn your bin down.

Speaking of which, anyone know what causes this?

anoopai - 26-12-2012 at 00:45

some one told that just adding some acid water into the battery can get back the battery to life again , so i asked

Oscilllator - 26-12-2012 at 01:18

Quote: Originally posted by anoopai  
some one told that just adding some acid water into the battery can get back the battery to life again , so i asked


Adding sulfuric acid to lead-acid car batteries can certainly get some more life out of them, but I don't know whether you are talking about sulfuric acid or car batteries. More information please!

watson.fawkes - 26-12-2012 at 12:52

Quote: Originally posted by elementcollector1  
What's a UPS?
UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply.

anoopai - 27-12-2012 at 22:00

yes, its lead acid type

franklyn - 27-12-2012 at 23:07

I replaced the Lead Acid batteries of my computer backup UPS
( Uninterruptible Power Supply ) following this video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KxwbHXqXyY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuUyNe_-wkQ
I bought two replacement batteries from here _
www.atbatt.com/ups-backup-batteries.asp
This set of two was on sale when I bought it and paid just ~ $ 34.50
including delivery. www.atbatt.com/product/21657/ups/apc/rbc32/battery
Search for your type , they stock all and compatible replacements.
Just buy the cheapest that meets the specifications of the original.

I discovered one of the batteries I replaced was in poor condition
while the other was undercharged since they are connected in series.
It is possible to bring a lead acid battery back to working if is not too
far gone. I have not tried to bring back the ones I replaced although
I saved them to try reconditioning them. The important thing is how
to open the sealed cells without damage.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmWZsW0KKg0
Add distilled water to the cells showing a low electrolyte level
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3YJ7tfeUl0
Removing decal and plugs to recondition cells
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xvr3Sc3g2o



The density of fuming sulfuric acid is 1.84 ( gm/ml ).The fully charged battery
electrolyte has a density of 1.265 to 1.285 in warm weather and up to 1.3
in cold weather. As the battery discharges , acid is consumed and the water
being created dilutes the remaining electrolyte which falls to a density of 1.15.

Fully charged the negative electrode made of lead , is consumed by the acid
as it is discharged forming a pasty surface layer of lead sulfate.
The positive electrode is lead dioxide , as the battery is discharged the hydrogen
ions formed reduce the lead dioxide to form water.

Charging the battery reverses the chemistry. The water of the electrolyte is
dissociated by electrolysis into oxygen and hydrogen ions. Hydrogen combines
with the sulfate of the negative electrode to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid
and the oxygen combine with the positive lead electrode to form lead dioxide.

A full charge apart from the electrolyte density will register a measured 2 to 2.2
volts between cells. When fully charged the battery is susceptible to gassing.
Because there is no more plate chemistry , oxygen and hydrogen of electrolysis
vents away , the reason for the need to replenish water to the electrolyte.

Over time charging and discharge cycling evolves a crystallized form of lead
sulfate which is very resistant to decomposition and by it's presence reduces
the active surface of the electrode plates. Even replacing water will have no
effect on this scale , and the battery will no longer be serviceable.

If adding distilled water to the cells to restore what was lost and charging
for a day will not regain a charge , discard the battery.

Despite claims you may hear , your money is better spent by far on new
replacement batteries instead of trying to resuscitate one. Beginning with only
pure distilled water replacing the electrolyte , the process of re-invigorating
can take two weeks or more if done properly with careful monitoring of the
applied voltage and measuring the density of the acid as it is reformed.

.

anoopai - 27-12-2012 at 23:16

ah franklyn,
thats is substantial reply from you, thanks for such a reply

elementcollector1 - 27-12-2012 at 23:30

I have to note that the reason these lead-acid batteries become less efficient over time is because some of that lead sulfate crystallizes each time, resulting in a hard, crystalline surface that is difficult to turn back into sulfuric acid. I assume you want the sulfuric acid from this battery?

anoopai - 29-12-2012 at 01:37

No. l want to take the batteries back to life, atleast for low power applications