Which battery is best suited for customer?

Which battery chemistry is best suited for customer?

Battery user often argue that advanced battery systems are now available that offer very high energy densities, deliver 1000 charge/discharge cycles and are paper thin is the best. These attributes are indeed achievable ¡ª unfortunately not in the same battery pack. A given battery may be designed for small size and long runtime, but this pack would have a limited cycle life. Another battery may be built for durability, but it would be big and bulky. A third pack may have high energy density and long durability, but would be too expensive for the commercial consumer.

Battery manufacturers are well aware of customer needs and have responded by offering battery packs that best suit the specific application. The mobile phone industry is an example of this clever adaptation. For this market, the emphasis is placed on small size and high energy density. Longevity comes in second.

The mention of NiMH on a battery pack does not automatically guarantee high energy density. A prismatic NiMH battery for a powetools, for example, is made for slim geometry and may only have an energy density of 60Wh/kg. The cycle count for this battery would be limited to around 300. In comparison, a cylindrical NiMH offers energy densities of 120Wh/kg and higher. Still, the cycle count of this battery will be moderate to low. High durability NiMH batteries, which are intended for industrial use and the electric vehicle enduring 1000 discharges to 90 percent depth-of discharge, are packaged in large cylindrical cells. The energy density on these cells is a modest 70Wh/kg.

Similarly, Li-ion batteries for defense applications are being produced that far exceed the energy density of the commercial equivalent. Unfortunately, these super-high capacity Li-ion batteries are deemed unsafe in the hands of the public. Neither would the general public be able to afford to buy them.

When energy densities and cycle life are mentioned, Good Battery think thant a middle-of-the-road commercial battery that offers a reasonable compromise in size, energy density, cycle life and price.

 

I also think a thing to consider is the fact that some Li-ion batteries explode... where is safety in this talk?

 

I don't think the higher energy densities would be completely relevant to the discussion of safety... I suppose it'd be a bigger explosion/hotter fire, but already, if one goes off in your lap, you're in serious trouble.

 

If the battery catches on fire on you lap, the lithium in it will react with the water in the air. In lithiums wanting to become more stable, creates Lithium Hydroxide and Hydrogen gas, thus the fire burns the hydrogen gas, making a hotter more intense flame.