A comparison of barton-pot and ball-mill processes for making leady oxide

Abstract

There are two principal methods of making leady oxide for lead/acid batteries. These are: (i) the Barton-pot process, which utilizes the oxidation of molten lead; (ii) the ball-mill process, which employs the oxidation of solid lead. Several conflicting claims have been made for the advantages of the one process over the other, and vice versa. It has been estimated that about 80% of the cost of making battery plates involves that of the raw materials, direct and indirect labour costs account for the remaining 20%. Cost analysis emphasizes the importance of accurately and efficiently controlling and producing the raw materials. One such material is leady oxide. Thus, the importance of carefully analyzing the two methods of producing battery oxide, both from a process and from a product standpoint, is obvious. Such a comparison is made here by using information obtained from the Linklater type of Barton pot and a European type of ball-mill. It is concluded that the Barton-pot method is easier to adjust and quicker to respond to changes in the process parameters. The ball mill usually operates with less fluctuation in the product, but must be run continuously in order to keep both quantity and quality within specification.