These elements are the most dense of all modern technologies. The reason for this was the components used in these batteries. These cells use atmospheric oxygen as the cathode reagent, which is reflected in their name. In order for air to react with the zinc anode, small holes are made in the battery case. Potassium hydroxide, which is highly conductive, is used as the electrolyte in these cells.
Originally designed as a non-rechargeable power source, zinc air cells have a long and stable shelf life, at least when stored airtight and inactive. In this case, during the year of storage, such elements lose about 2 percent of their capacity. Once the air gets into the battery, these batteries don't last longer than a month, whether you use them or not.
Some manufacturers have started using the same technology in rechargeable cells. Best of all, such elements have proven themselves during long-term operation in low-power devices. The main disadvantage of these elements is the high internal resistance, which means that in order to achieve high power, they must be huge. And this means the need to create additional battery compartments in laptops, comparable in size to the computer itself.
But it should be noted that they began to receive such application quite recently. The first such product is a joint creation of Hewlett-Packard Co. and AER Energy Resources Inc. - PowerSlice XL - showed the imperfection of this technology when used in laptop computers. This battery, designed for the HP OmniBook 600 laptop, weighed 3.3 kg - more than the computer itself. She provided only 12 hours of work. Energizer has also begun using this technology in their small button batteries used in hearing aids.
Recharging batteries is also not an easy task. Chemical processes are very sensitive to the electrical current supplied to the battery. If the applied voltage is too low, the battery will give current instead of receiving. If the voltage is too high, unwanted reactions can begin that can damage the element. For example, when the voltage is raised, the current strength will necessarily increase, as a result, the battery will overheat. And if you continue to charge the cell after it is fully charged, explosive gases may begin to be released in it and even an explosion may occur.
Charging technologies
Modern devices for recharging are quite complex electronic devices with various degrees of protection - both yours and your batteries. In most cases, each cell type has its own charger. If the charger is used incorrectly, not only the batteries, but also the device itself, or even systems powered by batteries, can be damaged.
There are two modes of operation chargers- with constant voltage and with direct current.
The simplest are devices with constant voltage. They always produce the same voltage, and supply a current that depends on the battery level (and other environmental factors). As the battery charges, its voltage increases, so the difference between the potentials of the charger and the battery decreases. As a result, less current flows through the circuit.
All that is needed for such a device is a transformer (to reduce the charging voltage to the level required by the battery) and a rectifier (to rectify alternating current to a constant, used to charge the battery). Such simple devices rechargers are used to charge car and ship batteries.
As a rule, lead batteries for power sources are charged by similar devices. uninterruptible power supply. In addition, constant voltage devices are also used to recharge lithium-ion cells. Only there are added circuits to protect the batteries and their owners.
The second type of charger provides a constant current and changes the voltage to provide the required amount of current. Once the voltage reaches the full charge level, charging stops. (Remember, the voltage created by the cell drops as it discharges.) Typically, such devices charge nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride cells.
In addition to the desired voltage level, chargers need to know how long it takes to recharge the cell. The battery can be damaged if you charge it for too long. Depending on the type of battery and on the "intelligence" of the charger, several technologies are used to determine the recharge time.
In the most simple cases for this, the voltage generated by the battery is used. The charger monitors the battery voltage and turns off when the battery voltage reaches a threshold level. But this technology is not suitable for all elements. For example, for nickel-cadmium it is not acceptable. In these elements, the discharge curve is close to a straight line, and it can be very difficult to determine the threshold voltage level.
More "sophisticated" chargers determine the recharge time by temperature. That is, the device monitors the temperature of the cell, and turns off or reduces the charge current when the battery starts to heat up (which means overcharging). Usually, thermometers are built into such batteries, which monitor the temperature of the element and transmit the appropriate signal to the charger.
"Smart" devices use both of these methods. They can go from high charge current to low charge current, or they can support D.C. using special voltage and temperature sensors.
Standard chargers give less charge current than the cell's discharge current. And chargers with a large current value give more current than the rated discharge current of the battery. A trickle charge device uses a current so small that it almost does not allow the battery to self-discharge (by definition, such devices are used to compensate for self-discharge). Typically, the charge current in such devices is one-twentieth or one-thirtieth of the battery's rated discharge current. Modern chargers can often handle multiple charge currents. They use higher currents at first and gradually switch to lower currents as they approach fully charged. If you use a battery that can withstand trickle charging (nickel-cadmium, for example, do not), then at the end of the recharge cycle, the device will switch to this mode. Most laptop chargers and cell phones are designed so that they can be permanently connected to the elements and do not harm them.
The number of people using zinc-air batteries as a power source for hearing aids is increasing day by day. These batteries are environmentally friendly and, due to their increased capacity, last much longer than other types of batteries. However, it is difficult to name the exact service life of the element used, it depends on many factors. AT certain moments users have questions and complaints.<Радуга Звуков>will try to give an exhaustive answer to a very important question: so what does the battery life depend on?
ADVANTAGES...
For many years, mercury-oxide batteries have been the main source of power for hearing aids. However, in the mid 90s. it became clear that they were completely outdated. First, they contained mercury - an extremely harmful substance. Secondly, digital SA appeared and began to rapidly conquer the market, presenting fundamentally different requirements for the characteristics of batteries.
Mercury-oxide technology has been replaced by air-zinc technology. It is unique in that one of the components (cathode) of the chemical battery uses ambient air oxygen, which enters through special holes. By removing mercury or silver oxide, which until now served as the cathode, from the battery case, more space was freed up for zinc powder. Therefore, a zinc-air battery is more energy-intensive when compared with each other. different types batteries of the same size. With this ingenious solution, the zinc-air battery will remain unrivaled as long as its capacity is limited by the tiny volume of today's miniature SAs.
On the positive side of the battery, there are one or more holes (depending on its size) into which air enters. The chemical reaction during which the current is generated proceeds quite quickly and is completely completed within two to three months, even without loading the battery. Therefore, during the manufacturing process, these holes are covered with a protective film.
To prepare for work, it is necessary to remove the sticker and allow time for the active substance to saturate with oxygen (from 3 to 5 minutes). If you start using the battery immediately after opening, then activation will occur only in the surface layer of the substance, which will significantly affect the service life.
The size of the battery plays an important role. The larger it is, the more reserves of the active substance in it, and, therefore, the more accumulated energy. Therefore, a 675 size battery has the largest capacity, and a size 5 battery has the smallest. The battery capacity also depends on the manufacturer. For example, for batteries of size 675, it can vary from 440 mAh to 460 mAh.
AND FEATURES
First, the voltage supplied by a battery depends on how long it has been in use, or more specifically, on the degree to which it has been discharged. A new zinc-air battery can deliver up to 1.4 volts, but only for a short time. Then the voltage drops to 1.25 V, and holds for a long time. And at the end of the battery life, the voltage drops sharply to a value of less than 1 V.
Secondly, zinc-air batteries function better the warmer it is around. In this case, of course, you should not exceed the maximum temperature set for this type of battery. This applies to all batteries. But the peculiarity of zinc-air batteries is that their performance also depends on the humidity of the air. The chemical processes occurring in it depend on the presence of a certain amount of moisture. To put it simply, the hotter and more humid the better (this only applies to CA batteries!). And the fact that humidity has a negative effect on other components of the auditory system is another matter.
Thirdly, the internal resistance of the battery depends on a number of factors: temperature, humidity, operating time and the technology used by the manufacturer. The higher the temperature and humidity, the lower the impedance, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the auditory system. The new 675th battery has an internal resistance of 1-2 ohms. However, at the end of the service life, this value can increase to 10 ohms, and for the 13th battery - up to 20 ohms. Depending on the manufacturer, this value can vary significantly, which creates problems when the maximum power specified in the data sheet is required.
If the critical current draw is exceeded, the final stage or the entire hearing system is switched off so that the battery can recover. If after<дыхательной паузы>the battery again begins to give current in an amount sufficient for operation, the SA is turned on again. In many hearing systems, reactivation is accompanied by sound signal, the same one that notifies you of a voltage drop in the battery. That is, in a situation where the CA turns off due to high current consumption, an alarm sounds when it is turned on again, although the battery may be completely new. This situation usually occurs when the hearing aid is receiving a very high input SPL and the hearing aid is set to full power.
Factors affecting service life
One of the main tasks facing batteries is to provide a constant supply of current throughout the life of the battery.
Battery life is primarily determined by the type of CA you use. As a rule, analog devices consume more current than digital ones, and powerful devices consume more than low-power devices. Typical current consumption values for medium power devices are from 0.8 to 1.5 mA, and for high-power and heavy-duty devices - from 2 to 8 mA.
Digital HAs are generally more economical than analog HAs of the same power. However, they have one drawback - at the moment of switching programs or automatic operation of complex signal processing functions (noise suppression, speech recognition, etc.), these devices consume significantly more current than in normal mode. The energy demand can rise and fall depending on what signal processing function it performs. this moment digital circuit, and even whether correction of a patient's hearing loss requires different amplification for different input SPLs.
The ambient acoustic situation also affects battery life. In a quiet environment, the acoustic signal level is usually low - about 30-40 dB. In this case, the signal entering the SA is also small. In a noisy environment, such as in the subway, train, at work or in a noisy street, the acoustic signal level can reach 90 dB or more (a jackhammer is about 110 dB). This leads to an increase in the level of the output signal of the SA and, accordingly, an increased current of its consumption. At the same time, the settings of the device also begin to affect - with a greater gain, the current consumption is also greater. Typically, ambient noise is concentrated in the low-frequency range, therefore, with greater suppression of the low-frequency range by the tone control, the current consumption also decreases.
The current consumption of medium-power devices does not depend too much on the level of the incoming signal, but for high-power and super-power SA the difference is quite large. For example, with an incoming signal with an intensity of 60 dB (at which the current consumption of the SA is normalized), the current strength is 2-3 mA. With an input signal of 90 dB (and the same SA settings), the current increases to 15-20 mA.
Battery Life Estimation Method
Typically, the battery life is estimated taking into account its nominal capacity and the estimated current consumption of the device, specified in the technical data (passport) for the device. Let's take a typical case: a 675 zinc-air battery with a typical capacity of 460 mAh.
When used in a medium power device with a current consumption of 1.4mA, the theoretical service life will be 460/1.4=328 hours. When wearing the device for 10 hours a day, this means more than a month of device operation (328/10=32.8).
When a powerful device is powered in a quiet environment (current consumption 2 mA), the service life will be 230 hours, that is, about three weeks with a 10-hour wear. But, if the environment is noisy, then the current consumption can reach 15-20 mA (depending on the type of device). In this mode, the service life will be 460/20=23 hours, i.e. less than 3 days. Of course, no one walks in such an environment for 10 hours, and real mode will be mixed in current consumption. So that given example simply illustrates the calculation methodology by giving extreme life values. Usually the battery life in a powerful device is in the range of two to three weeks.
Use hearing aid batteries (labeled or labeled) from reputable power supply manufacturers (GP, Renata, Energizer, Varta, Panasonic, Duracell Activair, Rayovac).
Do not break the protective film of the battery (do not open) until it is installed in the hearing aid.
Store batteries in blisters at room temperature and normal humidity. A wish<сберечь>a longer battery in the refrigerator can lead to the exact opposite result - CA with new battery won't work at all.
Before installing the battery in the device, keep it without film for 3-5 minutes.
Turn off the SA when not in use. Remove the power sources from the device at night and leave the battery compartment open.
Miniature air-zinc batteries (galvanic "tablets") rated voltage 1.4V is used for reliable and uninterrupted operation of analog and digital hearing aids, sound amplifiers and cochlear implants. The high environmental friendliness of microbatteries and the inability to leak ensure complete consumer safety. Our online store offers you to buy at affordable prices the widest range of high-quality batteries for in-the-ear, in-the-ear and behind-the-ear hearing aids.
Benefits of Hearing Aid Batteries
In case zinc air battery there is a zinc anode, an air electrode and an electrolyte. Catalyst for the oxidation reaction and formation electric current atmospheric oxygen enters through a special membrane in the housing. This battery configuration provides a number of performance benefits:
- compactness and low weight;
- ease of storage and use;
- uniform charge return;
- low self-discharge (from 2% per year);
- long service life.
So that you can replace worn-out batteries with new ones in low, medium and high power devices in a timely manner, we sell batteries for hearing aids in St. Petersburg in convenient packages of 4, 6 or 8 pcs.
How to buy hearing aid batteries
On our website, you can always buy retail and wholesale batteries for hearing amplification devices from well-known manufacturers Renata, GP, Energizer, Camelion. To correctly select the size of the battery, use our table, focusing on the color of the protective film and the type of device.
Attention! After removing the colored sealing sticker, you must wait a few minutes and only then insert the “pill” into the device. This time is necessary for sufficient oxygen to enter the battery and reach full capacity.Our prices are lower than our competitors because we buy directly from the manufacturer.
Treat yourself to the joy of everyday communication
The international company WIDEX has been manufacturing and selling hearing aids since 1956. We are constantly improving devices to provide optimal audibility and comfort for our customers.
WIDEX offers hearing aids in five categories:
- PREMIUM; BUSINESS; COMFORT; BUDGET; ECONOMY.
Our advantages
If you have difficulty hearing, contact the WIDEX Hearing Center - we will help you solve the problem. Our experts will select the devices that best suit your individual needs. With our help, you will regain the ability to hear all the variety of sounds.
Stylish appearance
The range of our hearing centers includes a complete the lineup devices of modern shapes and colors: miniature in-ear, elegant with a receiver in the ear, classic behind the ear. Widex devices and accessories received international design awards - RED DOT Design, Good Design, IF Design Award
natural sound devices
Widex makes sounds recognizable, speech intelligible, noise non-irritating through a range of patented Widex technologies - Widex amplification formula, Speech Enhancer, Low Background Noise Suppression, Inter Ear Compression, 5dB to 113dB Wide Input Range, HD Locator, TruSound Softner and other technologies.
Quality assurance
We work according to Danish Widex standards. There is full set international and Russian permits, they confirm the reliability and safety of the devices. We regularly monitor quality and user satisfaction.
All inclusive price
The cost of hearing aids includes all necessary consultations and maintenance during the life of the hearing aids. A personal specialist guides the user in the office, by phone or via online consultation on the site.
Minimum service periods
Warranty periods repairs in a certified service center Widex Moscow is 2-3 business days. We deliver devices to Moscow and back on a weekly basis at the expense of our company through Widex regional hearing centers. You can monitor the status of service work.
Comfort of use and stable work devices
Individual housings for in-the-canal, in-the-ear devices and individual inserts are made using CAMISHA Widex 3D technology. They fit comfortably in the user's ears, as they fully correspond to the casts of the ear canals. tight fit and optimal size products ensure the correct operation of the systems of the devices and the attractive appearance of the device.