The New York Times
National Edition MONDAY, MAY 19, 1997 VOL. CXLVI....No.50,797
The New York Times
National Edition
MONDAY, MAY 19, 1997 VOL. CXLVI....No.50,797
"Charger Promises To Extend Life Of Batteries"
Portable microelectronic devices last only as
long as their batteries do. As batteries get older, each charge seems to fade faster. But
a small company in Norcross, Ga., is marketing a device that it says speeds re-charging
and also preserves the battery's ability to hold a charge.
Advanced Charger Technology Inc. said its charger sends power into the
battery in pulses measured in thousandths of a second while constantly sensing the
battery's receptiveness. The charger interrupts the pulse or even discharges the battery
for a few thousandths of a second to improve its receptivity. As a result, more energy
flows into the battery as usable current and less is
converted into heat, which can shorten the battery's life.
The technique was demonstrated three years ago for
quick-charging electric vehicles and the company hopes it will be used someday in electric
filling stations. It works on lead acid, nickel-cadmium and nickel metal-hydride cells,
said Karen A. Robinson, president of Advanced Charger Technology, cutting charging time by
half or more. "The challenge is not the base technology, it's all the different
packaging for batteries," she said.
The company sells chargers for two-way radio batteries and plans
to introduce on Tuesday a five-minute charger for cellular phone batteries.
MATTHEW L. WALD
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