What is a valve regulated lead acid battery?

A valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery is also known as sealed lead–acid (SLA) battery is a type of lead-acid battery. In this type of battery, the electrolyte that does not flood the battery but it’s rather absorbed in a plate separator or silicon is added to form a gel.

How have Valve-Regulated Lead-acid batteries impacted the battery market?

B. Culpin, in Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources, 2009 Valve-regulated lead–acid batteries operating under the oxygen cycle have had a major impact on the battery market over the last 25 years.

Do valve-regulated lead-acid batteries have a charge profile?

Charge profiles for new 6 V 100 Ah valve-regulated lead–acid (VRLA) batteries at different charge voltages and temperatures. Reproduced from Culpin B (2004) Thermal runaway in valve-regulated lead-acid cells and the effect of separator structure. Journal of Power Sources 133: 79–86; Figure 1. Figure 9.

What are valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries?

Valve-regulated lead–acid (VRLA) batteries are also referred to as ‘recombinant’ batteries. Unlike flooded batteries, which lose water as a result of oxygen and hydrogen evolution at the positive and negative electrodes respectively during charging, in VRLAs, oxygen will recombine with the hydrogen to reform water .

Do flooded lead acid batteries need distilled water?

In ordinary flooded lead acid batteries, these gases are allowed to escape hence the need to have distilled water added from time to time to replace the lost water. In contrast, VRLA batteries retain the generated gases within the battery as long as the pressure remains within safe levels.

Can VRLA batteries be substituted for flooded lead-acid batteries?

VRLA batteries can be substituted in virtually any flooded lead-acid battery application (in conjunction with well-regulated charging), as well as applications where traditional flooded batteries cannot be used. Because of their unique features and benefits, VRLA batteries are particularly well suited for: