HOW LONG MAY BATTERIES BE STORED ?
In principle, no battery can be stored without loss of energy, although some battery systems may be stored for longer periods of time than others. Spontaneous conversion processes inherent to the battery’s electrochemical system cause a gradual, but unavoidable loss of usable energy which, however, is predictable. The best known process is the so-called self-discharge. This generally has to do with the electrolytic solubility of the positive electrode material or its thermodynamic instability (i.e. decomposition). Self-discharge in rechargeable batteries (secondary batteries, accumulators) is particularly high in comparison to primary batteries. At room temperature the rate of self-discharge is in the range of 15% to 25% per month, depending on system. Solar batteries offer an unusually low discharge rate of about 10% per month (at 25C). Electrochemical self-discharge in primary batteries is considerably lower, and may even be below 2% per year. However, at the same time there are proc
