Condition Based Maintenance of Lead Acid Batteries and Environmental Responsibility
Abstract
Condition Based Maintenance of Lead Acid Batteries and Environmental Responsibility
By
Asgeir Kristoffersen
May 2010
The increase in demand for electrical energy is putting pressure on outdated utility
infrastructures and services at the same time that advances in business operations
are requiring stable and sufficient sources of power for sensitive operations.
A key component of the electrical grid is energy storage and lead acid batteries remain
the most cost effective solution. The efficient and prudent use of lead is at best
difficult at a time that lead acid batteries are being called upon to provide backup
power for critical power applications. This study seeks to use lead acid batteries
efficiently thereby reducing the amount of lead acid in our environment.
The research consisted of a case study of US electrical power substations, an integral
part of the power grid. The case analysis compared traditional maintenance practices
of lead acid batteries versus the use of battery condition monitoring. There is a
strong business case to be made for investing in condition monitoring to manage the
battery assets within power substations. This will ensure that the batteries will
function when required.
The case study demonstrated that once condition monitoring was installed the number
of preventative maintenance visits to a remote site was reduced by 85% with a commensurate
reduction in the number of medium duty trucks on the nation’s roads. The avoided CO2
emissions presented a compelling argument for condition monitoring.
Condition monitoring and the resultant condition based maintenance will drive infrastructure
reliability higher and result in the more efficient use of lead acid batteries with
the added benefit of CO2 reductions. There are hundreds of other applications for
this technology and with strong management buy-in it is possible to overcome the resistance
to change from traditional maintenance practices.
Type
Master's projectPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2220Citation
Kristoffersen, Asgeir (2010). Condition Based Maintenance of Lead Acid Batteries and Environmental Responsibility.
Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2220.Collections
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