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| GRS M27 |
Abertax releases another version of their Innovative Valve for VRLA batteries – The GRS M27 Valve.
GRS
Abertax, the Malta-based company manufacturing advanced battery, accessories, has released their innovative valve for providing the ideal gas release system (GRS) in M27 size as well now, making their technology available for a wider range of 2V cells in VRLA batteries — both for gel and high quality absorbent glass matt (AGM).
Until now the patented valve has only been available in the smaller M18 size. Abertax says other sizes will be later made available — the M27s became available at the end of March — and an adaptor 27 with bayonet fitting should appear shortly.
Since battery venting is the prime reason for humidity loss in VRLA batteries, the GRS design and technology providing the right release pressure of a better valve can dramatically keep moisture levels higher and so extend the battery life. Additionally, the diaphragm design in the GRS also ensures the prevention of air entering the cells which potentially damages the plates.
“One of the prime advantages of our GRS is the very low tolerances of closing pressure consistency of our opening and closing pressures,” says Dr Joseph Cilia , the research Director of Abertax. “And we have rigorously tested them in some extreme field conditions.”
The valve can be supplied in various ranges of opening pressures, with the lowest range starting at 150mbar and the highest with an opening pressure at 400mbar. Thus the valve can be designed to give the optimal pressure for any battery size and design.
To ensure the consistency of the GRS, Abertax devised special calibration equipment to measure these pressures.
Although the fundamental chemistry of the lead acid battery is virtually unchanged since the mid-19th century, Mr KD Merz , the battery expert at Abertax, says there are still refinements to be made. “For the past decade or more battery developers have looked to alternative chemistries in seeking an advanced battery,” he says. “And engineering design in and around the battery has been left relatively unexplored.”
Research into the economies that a high quality valve such as the GRS can bring has been scarce, say Abertax, and has been difficult to quantify as gassing and venting are often a function of how efficiently or inefficiently charging or discharging a battery is being carried out.
However, all manufacturers are aware that a better GRS produces a better battery.
Abertax presently produces around 500,000 GRS a year but it has spare production capacity to make up to 2 million annually from its headquarters in Paola in Malta George Schembri , general manager at Abertax.
Abertax reckons that there will be a big increase in demand for GRS for the new ‘stop-and-go’ applications as well as for the new generation of electric vehicles requiring further AGM batteries.
The firm, which has invested extensively in research and development — and has the capability to design and manufacture most of the machinery needed to produce a new range of GRS in-house — believes that automation provides it with a competitive edge against competition from Asian economies where labor costs are low.
“Once you have devised one set of machinery to produce the GRS,” says Ing Schembri who is an engineer specialized in high quality manufacturing. “It’s simply a question of replicating them to scale up production.”
Abertax says its original M18 valve has already undergone years of testing — both in-house and through independent monitoring in German laboratories — in a rugged, dirty environment, including prolonged exposure to sulphuric acid and dust, and has not been found wanting.
Article by Mike Hall Batteries International Magazine 2011
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