Battery Components and Their Functions

Battery Components and Their Functions - The battery is a component that functions to supply electrical energy needs to various vehicle systems before the car is turned on.

Car batteries are quite heavy when compared to other types of batteries. This is because of its construction, inside the battery/battery is very solid by lead plate and lead oxide sheet in addition there is also an electrolyte. sheet plate and electrolyte is what makes the battery can generate electricity.

In vehicles, in general the battery functions as a supplier of electrical energy needs to components and systems that require electric current to activate this condition occurs when the vehicle has not been started (turned on).

Wet battery is a type of battery that uses lead sponge and lead peroxide to convert chemical energy into electrical energy, you can understand this energy conversion process through how the battery works. This type of battery is known as a lead acid battery. In addition, the battery has other important components to support optimal battery work. The following are components of a wet battery/battery.

Battery components

• Battery Box
• Battery Cap
• Battery Plate
• Separator/Insulator
• Battery Cell
• Cell Connector
• Cell Separator (Cell Partition)
• Battery Terminals
• Vent Cap
• Battery Electrolyte

Battery Components and Their Functions

1. Battery Box

The battery box serves as a container and protector for all battery components in it such as cells, cell connectors, cell separators, battery plates etc. In wet batteries, this battery box uses a transparent material so that the battery electrolyte can be easily seen from the outside.

The material for making the battery case must be resistant to sulfuric acid, must not be deformed or porous and not contain impurities that can degrade the quality of the electrolyte.

2. Battery Cap

The battery cup serves as the top cover of the battery where the battery terminal holder and ventilation hole are.

3. Battery Plate

There are 2 plates used in the battery, namely the positive plate and the negative plate. The plates on the battery have a grid made of antimony and a lead alloy. The positive plate is made of antimony coated with PbO2 and the negative plate is sponge lead (Pb) which is gray in color. The bigger and the more plates, the greater the current that can be flowed by the battery.

4. Separator/Insulator

The separator is placed between the positive and negative plates. This separator is porous to allow the electrolyte solution to pass through. The separator also serves to prevent short circuits between plates.

5. Battery Cell

The battery cell is a unit of positive and negative plates separated by a separator. The battery cells are connected in series with each other. This makes the number of battery cells will determine the amount of battery voltage generated. In lead acid, one battery cell produces 2.1 Volts. on a standard car battery that has 6 cells, meaning the battery has a total voltage of 12.6 Volts.

6. Cell Connector

The cell connector is a metal plate connected to the battery plates. There are 2 connecting plates in each cell, namely the positive plate and the negative plate where both are connected in series for each cell.

7. Cell Separator/Cell Partition

The cell separator is part of the battery box that serves to separate each cell. In a car battery that has a voltage of 12 Volts, it usually has 6 cells.

8. Battery Terminals

The battery terminals are attached to the top of the battery box, namely the positive terminal and the negative terminal.

9. Ventilation Cap

The ventilation cap functions as a cover for the hole that is used to increase, decrease or check the specific gravity of the battery water. Therefore this Ventilation Cap is only available on wet type batteries. On the Ventilation Cap, there is a ventilation hole (small hole) that functions as a way out of hydrogen gas when the battery reacts while the car is turned on/charging process.

10. Electrolyte Fluid

This electrolyte liquid is a liquid in the battery with a 1:3 ratio between sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and distilled water (H2O). This electrolyte fluid stores energy in the form of chemical energy which is then converted into electrical energy during the reaction process in the battery. Under standard conditions, this electrolyte has a specific gravity of 1.27 at 20 degrees Celsius. In liquid electrolytes, we know that the specific gravity of water is 1 and the specific gravity of sulfuric acid is 1.835. So if the concentration of dissolved water and sulfuric acid is 36% (H2SO4) and 64% distilled water (H2O). Then the specific gravity of the electrolyte in the battery will meet 1.27. The higher the specific gravity, the thicker the liquid.

Thus a discussion of the battery components and their functions.