INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF THERMAL RUNAWAY IN ALKALINE BATTERIES
In this study, carried out the cycling of nickel-cadmium batteries KSХ-25 in operation for seven years. The cycling of the batteries was carried out in a heat chamber at a temperature of 45 °С. The charge was performed at a voltage of 1,87 V, for 10 hours. Discharge was carried out in accordance with the KSX-25 guide to battery operation. We obtained experimental facts which contradict the classical mechanism of thermal runaway in nickel-cadmium batteries. In particular the analysis of the heat balance of thermal runaway showed that during the thermal runaway of the battery is released much more energy in the form of heat, than at the same time receives from battery charger. All the experimental evidence supports a new mechanism of thermal runaway in alkaline batteries, which is offered by us earlier. In this mechanism, thermal runaway is associated with the emergence of a powerful exothermic reaction of recombination of atomic hydrogen accumulated in the electrodes during cycling of the batteries.