Bipolar lead/acid batteries: effect of membrane conductivity on performance

Bipolar lead/acid batteries offer the possibility of increased energy and power density. This paper presents the results of a theoretical and experimental study into the performance of a bipolar construction. A model that calculates the ohmic losses in a bipolar lead acid battery has been used to predict the cell voltage during discharge. The calculated discharge curves are in good agreement with experimental results obtained with a 6 V lead membrane bipolar prototype. In a second part the conductivity of the bipolar plates have been adjusted in the program to estimate its influence on battery performance.