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Lithium-ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are much
lighter than other energy like other
secondary batteries. The high open
circuit voltage is the key advantage of
lithium-ion batteries that can be
acquired in comparison to liquefied
batteries. These Li-ion batteries
are available in wide shapes and sizes
so that the spaces in the devices they
power can be properly fill. They are
common in portable consumer electronics
because of their high energy-to-weight
ratios, lack of memory effect, and slow
loss of charge when not in use.
Additionally to consumer electronics,
lithium-ion batteries are
increasingly used in defence,
automotive, and aerospace applications
due to their high energy density.
However, certain kinds of mistreatment
may cause conventional
Li-ion batteries to explode.
Li-ion batteries do not suffer
from the memory effect. They also have a
low self-discharge rate.
Lithium-ion technology has seen
use in laptops, cell phones,
Digital Cameras and
DSLR’s with numerous other
devices for over a decade and tipped for
future use in electric cars, are
approaching their technological limits.
In cell phones and
Digital Cameras the charge
holding capacity is lost after a few
years and in laptops the
batteries last less than a year
due to its strenuous use. But car
manufacturers claim 10 or more years of
reliable service life from their
Lithium-ion batteries. Here the
real difference does not lie in battery
technology but in how the
battery is depleted and charged.
In a standard laptop or cell phone
system, the battery can be nearly fully
empty before shutting down. Then it is
plugged in for charging and charged to
near capacity. This process is extremely
tough and it reduces its usable life,
but provides 100 percent of the
batteries available power. In short,
Lithium-ion batteries can be smaller
because they can be charged to full
capacity and all of the power can be
realized.
A disadvantage of lithium-ion cells
is that a full charge in an older
battery will not last so long as one in
a new battery and also the charging time
required clearly decreases
proportionally.
Lithium-ion batteries can rupture,
ignite, or explode when exposed to
high-temperature environments, e.g. in
an area that is prone to prolonged
direct sunlight. Short circuiting a
lithium-ion battery can cause it to
ignite or explode and any attempt to
open or modify the casing or circuitry
is dangerous. For this reason they
normally contain safety devices that
protect the cells from abuse.
Contaminants inside the cells can defeat
these safety devices.
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