LEAD ACID BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

Following the schedule of previous Asian Battery Conferences, the Proc eedings closed with an expert panel of battery scientists and technolo gists who answered questions put by the assembled delegates. The subje cts under consideration were as follows. Grid alloys: grain structure of lead-calcium and lead-calcium-tin alloys; dress problems; control o f calcium content; cast-on-strap; terminal-post attack; porosity/acid- wicking problems; effect of silver; lead-cadmium alloys, Leady oxide: alpha-PbO:beta-PbO ratio; influence on plate-processing and battery pe rformance, Paste-mixing and curing: influence of amorphous material, P late formation: black/powdery plates; effect of acid concentration; ch arge level, Valve-regulated batteries: mass balances; grid thickness; shelf life. Battery charging: overcharge effects; fast charging; tempe rature effects; string configurations; sodium sulfate additive.