Battery Charge Condition Monitoring

Basic techniques are presented for determining the charge condition of electric vehicle propulsion batteries of both the lead-acid and nickel-cadmium types. The techniques presented include those employing measurement of battery parameters, such as electrolyte properties, voltage, and internal resistance, and those utilizing coulometric measurements. An application example employing the coulometric approach is described to demonstrate the usefulness of an accurate battery charge condition signal in an automated material handling car system.