Week 1 Understanding Different Battery Chemistry
1Ans)
2ndAns)
What Are Lithium Batteries :
* Lithium-ion batteries are used in most aspects of our everyday lives. Most devices like smartphones and laptops cannot operate without these batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have also become very important in the field of electromobility as it is now the battery of choice in most electric vehicles. Its high specific energy gives it an advantage over other batteries.
* There are different types of lithium-ion batteries and the main difference between them lies in their cathode materials. Different kinds of lithium-ion batteries offer different features, with trade-offs between specific power, specific energy, safety, lifespan, cost, and performance.
* The six lithium-ion battery types that we will be comparing are Lithium Cobalt Oxide,Lithium Manganese Oxide, Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, Lithium Iron Phosphate, Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide, and Lithium Titanate. Firstly, understanding the key terms below will allow for a simpler and easier comparison.
Battery Terms :
1. Specific energy: This defines the battery capacity in weight (Wh/kg). The capacity relates to the runtime. Products requiring long runtimes at moderate load are optimized for high specific energy.
2. Specific power: It's the ability to deliver a high current and indicates loading capability. Batteries for power tools are made for high specific power and come with a reduced specific energy.
3. Performance: This measures how well the battery works over a wide range of temperatures. Most batteries are sensitive to heat and cold and require climate control. Heat reduces life, and cold lowers performance temporarily.
4. Lifespan: This reflects cycle life and longevity and is related to factors such as temperature, depth of discharge, and load. Hot climates accelerate capacity loss. Cobalt blended lithium-ion batteries also usually have a graphite anode that limits the cycle life.
5. Safety: This relates to factors such as the thermal stability of the materials used in the batteries. The materials should have the ability to sustain high temperatures before becoming unstable. Instability can lead to thermal runaway in which flaming gases are vented. Fully charging the battery and keeping it beyond the designated age reduces safety.
6. Cost: Demand for electric vehicles has generally been lower than anticipated, mainly due to the cost of lithium-ion batteries. Hence cost is a huge factor when selecting the type of lithium-ion battery.
Types of Lithium Batteries :
* Now that we understand the major battery characteristics, we will use them as the basis for comparing our six types of lithium-ion batteries. The characteristics are rated as either high, moderate, or low.
* The table below provides a simple comparison of the six lithium-ion battery types.
| Lithium-ion battery Types | SP | SE | SF | LS | CS | PF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lithium Cobalt Oxide |
L |
H |
L |
L |
L |
M |
|
Lithium Manganese Oxide |
M |
M |
M |
L |
L |
L |
|
Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide |
M |
H |
M |
M |
L |
M |
|
Lithium Iron Phosphate |
H |
L |
H |
H |
L |
M |
|
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide |
M |
H |
L |
M |
M |
M |
|
Lithium Titanate |
M |
L |
H |
H |
H |
H |
* SP stands for specific power
* SE stands for specific energy
* SF stands for safety
* LS stands for lifespan
* CS stands for cost
* PF stands for performance
* L stands for low
* M stands for moderate
* H stands for high