Spilled Electrolyte

Facilities shall be provided for flushing and neutralizing spilled electrolyte and for fire protection. 

Add water to cells fill to the proper level. Use only distilled water or tap water that does not contain harmful chemicals. Overfilling is the most common error made when watering, because it can cause loss of capacity and corrosion of the battery tray. Corrosion, in turn, can cause extensive damage to the battery. Figure 19-3 illustrates spilled electrolyte caused by an overfill. 

Always clean up spilled electrolyte or water from the top of the battery. Be sure to wear protective equipment. Be sure vent caps are tight before cleaning. 

Provide emergency response equipment for flushing and neutrahzing spilled electrolyte, for Are protection, for protecting charging apparatus from damage by trucks, and for adequate ventilation for dispersal of fumes from gassing batteries. 

Much of the recent research in solid state chemistry is related to the ionic conductivity properties of solids, and new electrochemical cells and devices are being developed that contain solid, instead of liquid, electrolytes. Solid-state batteries are potentially useful because they can perform over a wide temperature range, they have a long shelf life, it is possible to make them very small, and they are spill-proof We use batteries all the time—to start cars, in toys, watches, cardiac pacemakers, and so on. Increasingly we need lightweight, small but powerful batteries for a variety of uses such as computer memory chips, laptop computers, and mobile phones. Once a primary battery has discharged, the reaction cannot be reversed and it has to be thrown away, so there is also interest in solid electrolytes in the production of secondary or storage batteries, which are reversible because once the chemical reaction has taken place the reactant concentrations can be... 

The safety concerns for vehicle charging facilities include hydrogen produced by the batteries during vehicle recharging and spills of battery electrolytes. Ignition hazards presented by the charging equipment are also a concern if other hazardous materials are present such as conventional vehicle fuels, solvents, etc. 

There is very little free electrolyte in lithium secondary systems, thus reducing the possibility of spilling acidic liquids. 

These are small, maintenance-free batteries which are sealed as the electrolyte is not depleted during operation. The electrolyte is absorbed in a porous separator or in a get, so that the battery can be operated in different orientations without spilling. This allows the batteries to be used in portable devices. 

SPILL CLEAN-UP use water spray to cool and disperse vapors may be removed from process-ventilated exhaust air from copper electrolytic purification cells by counter-current wet scrubbing remove all ignition sources. 

Electrolytic cells have historically been mounted off the ground at full basement height. Some of the arguments for elevating the cells include the need to electrically isolate cells from spills in the basement, to protect workers from stray current, to adjust the level of the cells, to inspect for leaks and perform repairs, and to limit pumping costs by employing gravity flow. With the advent of polymer concrete cells and of synthetic cell liners, the frequency of leaks and the need for electrical isolation have been drastically reduced. 

The electrolyte concentration should be periodically checked. Sometimes it has to be corrected by adding an acid or alkali, for instance, after spilling part of the liquid or after prolonged charges (in the last case gases carry away tiny droplets of the electrolyte fog). Sometimes the electrolyte concentration is changed in the transition from summer to winter conditions of operation (or vice versa). 

Keep the battery clean. Keeping the battery clean will minimize the corrosion of the cell post and connectors. Batteries commonly pick up dry dirt and need to be cleaned periodically. If an electrolyte spill occurs, the electrolyte can be neutralized by an alkaline solution such as baking soda with hot water in 1 kg of baking soda to 4 kg (4 L) of water. 

Short circuit and electrolyte spill Operator error that causes a short circuit is a main safety concern in the field. It is important to keep the top of the battery clean to prevent ground short circuits. Operators should be instructed not to place metallic objects or any electrical conductor on the battery. In addition, all tools used in servicing batteries should be insulated. When lifting batteries, use insulated tools to avoid the risk of causing a short circuit between cell terminals and lifting tools. 

Furthermore, when working with lead-acid batteries that have vent caps, it is important to keep the vent caps tight and level to eliminate acid spills. When an electrolyte (acid) spill occurs, an alkaline solution with 1 kg baking soda to 4 kg (4 L) of water can be used to neutralize the acid. The neutralized area should be rinsed with clear water. 

Gel silicon electrolyte was introduced in battery design to eliminate spilling and the need for constant maintenance. A gel battery (also known as a gel cell) is a VRLA battery with a gelled electrolyte the sulfuric acid is mixed with silica fume or silica additives, which makes the resulting mass gel-like, stiff, and immobile. Unlike a flooded wet-cell lead-acid battery, these batteries do not need to be kept upright. Gel batteries reduce the electrolyte evaporation and the spillage (and subsequent corrosion issues) common to the wet-cell battery, and they boast greater resistance to extreme temperatures, shock, and vibration. Chemically they are the same as wet (nonsealed) batteries except that the antimony in the lead plates is replaced by calcium. 

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