NiMH Batteries

Nickel Metal Hydride NiMH Batteries

If you are looking for a NiMh Battery that is designed and assembled to meet your own specific needs, whether it's for a new application or to replace an existing application that requires an upgrade to it's mobile power source, then get in touch with PMBL.

Alternatively, you may be unsure as to which battery technology is the right one for your product, if so PMBL can help.

PMBL design, assemble an manufacture Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery Packs, Batteries and Chargers and have full production and testing facilities in the UK.

Call us on 01460 66366 or email batteries@pmbl.co.uk or Click Below: .

What are NiMH Batteries?

The basic concept of the NiMH system started in the 1970s as a means of discovering how to store hydrogen for the nickel-hydrogen battery. Today, nickel hydrogen batteries are mainly used for satellite applications.

As part of the above research Nickel-metal-hydride batteries evolved which are similar to sealed nickel-cadmium batteries, but differ from them in that instead of cadmium, hydrogen is used as the active element as a hydrogen-absorbing negative electrode (anode). The electrolyte is an inorganic alkaline (potassium hydroxide) aqueous solution. Cell voltage is 1.2 Volts.

Now that the technology is reasonably mature, NiMH batteries have found use in many high voltage / high current applications. The energy density is more than double that of Lead acid and 40% higher than that of Ni-Cd’s and there is potential for yet higher capacities. They accept both higher charge and discharge rates and micro-cycles thus enabling applications which were previously not practical.

Call us on 01460 66366 or email batteries@pmbl.co.uk or Click Below:

NiMH Advantages

• Excellent safety and reliability record
• 30 - 40 % higher capacity over a standard Ni-Cd. Allowing longer run-times or down-sizing of battery packs. The Ni-MH system has potential for yet higher energy densities.
• Environmentally friendly - contains no heavy metals.
• Simple storage and transportation - transportation conditions are not subject to regulatory control
• Less prone to memory than the Ni-Cd.
• Periodic exercise cycles are required less often.
• Many cell sizes available
• Standard consumer types, as well as special types such as Low self-discharge, High-rate and Super-High rate discharge, High and Wide temperature types.
• 1.2 VPC means easy variations in battery pack voltage.
• Simple charging solutions available
• No complicated PCB mounted electronics required for individual cell charge

NiMH Limitations

• New chemical additives improve the self-discharge but at the expense of lower energy density.
• Performance degrades if stored at elevated temperatures - the NiMH should be stored in a cool place and at a state-of-charge of about 40 %.
• About 20 % more expensive than Ni-Cd - NiMH batteries designed for high current draw are more expensive than the regular version.