An experimental analysis of the effect of cell degradation on dynamic charge acceptance in lead-acid cells

Dynamic Charge Acceptance (DCA) is an important consideration for battery performance, particularly when batteries are used as power buffers within larger systems. This paper presents an experimental analysis of the effects of cycle-related degradation on the DCA performance of lead-acid cells. The results show that capacity loss due to degradation does not provide a reliable indication of the cells DCA performance, in fact for the typical lifetime of the cell DCA performance remains broadly constant, independent of degradation. Only at very severe levels of degradation is DCA performance seen to appreciably reduce. The results show that the more rapid degradation of lead cells need not be such a concern in applications where DCA performance is key. The results also have implications for second-life uses of cells in similar applications.