The duty and performance of the vacuum mixing and reacting technology for the preparation of lead/acid battery paste is reported. The production results achieved under vacuum are compared with those of conventional, air-cooled plants. Due to the more effective cooling and the use of a closed system, improvements such as reduced burned-lead portion, control of paste composition and formulation accuracy, and independence of climatic conditions are achieved. The capacity and mechanical resistance of the plates, as well as the cold-start properties and service life of batteries are improved and production costs are reduced. . | ELSEVIER Jillill if POWER SMS Journal of Power Sources 53 1995 269-271 Vacuum- and air-cooled mixing of lead acid battery paste a comparison of the production results . Vogel Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich Postfach 11 60 D-74732 Hardheim Germany Received 27 August 1994 accepted 10 September 1994 Abstract The duty and performance of the vacuum mixing and reacting technology for the preparation of lead acid battery paste is reported. The production results achieved under vacuum are compared with those of conventional air-cooled plants. Due to the more effective cooling and the use of a closed system improvements such as reduced burned-lead portion control of paste composition and formulation accuracy and independence of climatic conditions are achieved. The capacity and mechanical resistance of the plates as well as the cold-start properties and service life of batteries are improved and production costs are reduced. Keywords Lead acid battery paste Production Vacuum mixing 1. Introduction In 1985 the author s company introduced a new technology for the preparation of lead acid battery paste namely mixing and reacting technology under vacuum 1 . Since then about 30 vacuum plants have been put into operation successfully. The work reported here answers the following questions. What is the purpose of mixing and reacting under vacuum How does the system work What are the differences in production results in comparison with air-cooling technology 2. Process description The mixing and reacting technology under vacuum for lead acid battery paste provides for intensive mixing of the raw materials water leady oxide additives fibres and sulphuric acid and for removal of the heat that is generated by the reaction between leady oxide and sulfuric acid. When cooling the paste by air or under vacuum the reaction heat is consumed by evaporation of part of the water contained in the paste. Thus the average paste temperature cannot exceed the boiling point of water. In the vacuum
