Pulse Charging of Nickel Cadmium Batteries for Lost Capacity Recovery

Abstract

Abstract: This study presents an experimental investigation on the effectiveness of pulse recharging technique in recovering the lost capacity of nickel cadmium batteries (NiCad), through a comparison test with the conventional constant-current recharging technique. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis has been carried out on the electrodes of both pulse recharged and conventionally recharged NiCad cells after a controlled experimental process to restore the lost capacity due to shallow cycling. The results show that the pulse recharging technique performed equally well with the conventional recharging method in improving the topologies of the cell electrodes and recovering the lost capacity of the NiCad cells. The causes of capacity loss in NiCad batteries have also been investigated and the results obtained established the claim that shallow cycling enhances large and dendritic crystalline growth on the cell electrodes