Improving the performance of a high power, lead-acid battery with paste additives

In this paper, we investigate the use of paste additives to improve the per formance of a horizontal plate, lead-acid battery. The horizontal plate bat tery can deliver high power for electric and hybrid electric vehicle applic ations. We develop a series of designs having different paste additives to continuously improve the specific energy (W h/kg) performance of this batte ry. Computer models, previously developed and reported, are used to estimat e the specific energy performance of these designs. The baseline, horizonta l plate battery containing no additives has a specific energy of 30-35 W h/ kg. The final design in our design progression uses both porous and conduct ive paste additives to provide an estimated specific energy of 60-70 W h/kg . (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.