1. Advantages of Industrial Batteries
Industrial battery chargers are Alternating Current to Direct Current
converters. They are used to restore the charge of industrial batteries. A
variety of industrial applications use industrial batteries for powering
different industrial equipment. The conversion efficacy of Industrial
battery chargers ranges between 80-90%. The electricity requirement
depends on the type and make of the charger. The lower the electricity
requirement the more robust is the charger.
There are 4 distinct variations of Industrial Battery Chargers. These are:
- Magnetic-amplifier Chargers
- Ferro resonant Chargers
- Silicon Controlled Rectifier Chargers
- SCR-bridge Chargers
2. Magnetic-amplifier chargers are the most sturdy Industrial battery chargers as
they have the lowest electrical requirement.
These chargers comprise of:
- One 3-phase step-down transformer
- 3 One-phase satiable reactors with a control resistor
- One diode rectifier
The rate of charging is controlled by the satiable reactors. The power loss is
around 8%. Silicon controlled rectifiers help in significantly reducing the
power loss to around 1%.
Ferro resonant chargers are also called as Ferro chargers. They use a distinct
constituent called 'Ferro resonant transformer'. Ferro resonant battery
chargers need more electrical supply compared to Magnetic-amplifier
chargers.
These chargers comprise of:
- One diode rectifier and
- Three one-phase Ferro-resonant transformers
3. The Ferro resonant transformer controls the charge current and
reduces the voltage from the wall outlet to a lower adjusted voltage
level. The AC power is converted to DC power by the diode rectifier.
DC power is apt for the battery. Ferro resonant chargers have been
used for a long time to charge flooded lead-acid batteries. These
chargers are also used in electrical vehicles like golf carts and
material handling applications such as electric pallet jacks and
forklifts. They are highly economical for larger applications. The
absence of sensitive electronic components makes them extremely
durable. However, they are heavy and bulky and incapable of highly
sophisticated current control. This makes them unattractive for
smaller batteries used in portable applications.
4. SCR chargers possess a unique component called silicon controlled rectifier to
control the battery current. The SCR has a regulated on and off switch.
First, the transformer reduces the utility voltage to match the battery voltage.
Consequently, the diodes correct the flow of current. The SCR then allows the
charge current to flow. SCR chargers are used in forklifts and recreational
vehicles.
SCR-bridge chargers are variants of SCR chargers that need the highest
electrical supply. SCR-bridge chargers usually comprise of:
- One SCR bridge and
- One 3-phase step-down transformer
5. Ferro resonant and SCR battery chargers form a large percentage of the
chargers used in industrial applications. Ferro resonant chargers fall in the
efficiency range of 25-50%, while the SCR chargers fall in the efficiency range
of 30-55%.
Typically, Industrial battery chargers are based on 2 technology variations.
These are:
1. Switch-mode - In this mode, the circuit is switched to transform AC input.
Below are the features of Switch-mode:
- Compact transformers
- Use of advanced technology
- Highly energy efficient and
- Comparatively expensive
6. 2. Linear mode - This mode is characterised by linear regulating
element that regulates the flow of current to battery.
Features of Linear mode are:
- Use of Old technology
- Larger and heavier transformers
- Less energy efficient
- Comparatively cheap
Industrial battery chargers help to power industrial applications
significantly.
Please visit our website for more information on our industrial
battery chargers