Lead-Acid Battery: Electrochemical Characterization of the Bell System Battery: Field Trials of the Battery

In a preceding paper P. C. Milner has outlined a quantitative description of the float characteristics of the lead-acid battery in terms of the various electrode reactions occurring under float conditions and has summarized some of the available data on lead-calcium cells by providing numerical values for the various parameters. 1 In this paper we present the results of measurements on the polarization of the two electrodes of the new Bell System lead-acid battery and analyze them in the framework of Milner's model. On the basis of these measurements, we can make certain statements about the float operation of the new cell. A second topic covered in this paper is the capacity of the cell and the factors that affect it: discharge rate and cell design, including electrode configuration and venting arrangements. We include, also, 1335 1336 T H E BELL SYSTEM T E C H N I C A L J O U R N A L , SEPTEMBER 1970 some results of field trials that have been carried out in the New Jersey Bell Murray Hill Central Office and four AT & T Long Lines locations.