The Battery University

I have been linked to this site for some years now and the infos only get better and better. The recent email letter being a prime example.

Many here probably already know of or are already members, this blog is NOT addressed at them. Its addressed to those who want to know more about batteries generally.

I find personally that it fits well with CR4 generally as we are sometimes a little "behind" in our battery knowledge, or even simply wrong!!

Enjoy!

Battery University

Latest mail:-

Sept 2015 Newsletter

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Battery Conferences are becoming more numerous, but the agenda is similar. The brightest minds present improvements in battery technology that will lead to the Super Battery. With a grant of $120 million from the US Department of Energy, the Joint Centre for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) wants to develop a battery that is "five times more powerful and five times cheaper that current systems in five years." They call this the 5-5-5 Plan.
Private companies are also developing new batteries by working with cathode materials that are said to hold two electrons for each molecular unit, superseding current electrodes that are inherently slow.
Toyota was already in the race for the Super Battery in 1925. They called this "Sakichi battery" after Sakichi Toyoda, the inventor of Japan's power loom. Sakichi Toyoda is often called the father of the Japanese industrial revolution. It is said that he promised the yet-to-be-claimed prize of 1 million yen for a storage battery that produces more energy than gasoline. To qualify for the price, the Sakichi battery must be durable and quick to charge.
Progress is being made but not without roadblocks. Lithium-air proposed in the 1970's with a theoretical specific energy resembling gasoline is delayed due to instability and air-purity issues as the battery "breaths" oxygen from the air. The urban air we breathe is not clean enough. The promising lithium-metal introduced in the 1980s still grows dendrites, leading to violent events with flame if a serious electrical short develops. Lithium sulfur may be close to commercialization but scientists must first resolve the short cycle life. The redox-flow battery could offer a solution for large battery systems by pumping "charged" fluids from external tanks through a membrane that resembles a battery, but this refinery-like battery suffers from corrosion. There is a glimmer of hope for Li-ion by coating the anode with graphene, a layer that is only one atom thick. This is said to quadruple the capacity, but such a battery is still far away.
As part of a survey, a consulting firm asked me what advancements battery users want to see in a battery and he gave me list of options. Will this be a 25 percent increase in energy density; a 25 percent boost in discharge rate; a 25 percent improvement in temperature range and safety; or will this be a 25 percent reduction in size and weight?
I replied that there is a misconception and hinted that improved system reliability does not rest in a better battery alone but in knowing the performance of each pack with a maintenance program. This is seldom done and a biomed technician said: "Batteries are the most abused components; staff care little about them and only do the bare minimum to service them." He added further that, "references to battery maintenance are vague and hidden deep inside service manuals."

Checking into battery usage in healthcare, I came across a US FDA survey that says "up to 50 percent of service calls in hospitals surveyed relate to battery issues." Healthcare professionals at AAMI (AAMI stand for Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments) further stated that "battery management emerged as a top 10 medical device challenge." To accommodate these issues, device manufacturers mandate to replace the batteries on a date-stamp of 2 to 3 years. Batteries have improved and live longer; they also carry a higher price tag. Date-stamping has resulted in batteries being replaced too soon. This is reflected in a DOE discovery saying that every year roughly one million lithium-ion batteries are discarded with most packs having a capacity of up to 80 percent.

"Where do approval-agencies stand on these issues," we wonder? Getting a device approved is tough and device manufacturers use the best components, including a brand new battery to pass. But once rubber-stamped, the agency washes their hands and places the responsibility of maintenance on to the user. Rules, and especially with batteries, become vague. The user may ask: "At what capacity should I replace the battery? How much spare capacity is enough? How often should I test the battery, and what are early indications of pending battery failures?"

Agencies, such as the FDA, realize the oversight on the battery in critical devices and have identified three problem areas:

1. Deficiency in quality assurance in batteries by device manufacturers
2. Lack of understanding in battery system integration
3. Not knowing the end of battery life

Batteries should receive similar treatments as a critical part in an aircraft or a machine where wear and tear falls under strict maintenance guidelines. The service of a jet engine, for example, is measured in flight hours and flight cycles. One cycle includes a take-off and landing, and the Airbus 330 needs maintenance after 200-400 such cycles. Such procedures are not applied to the battery, even if the application is critical and a failing battery can cause a system breakdown. Most failures occur during emergencies and are caused by weak batteries. When asking a battery user: "At what capacity do you replace the battery?" most reply: "I beg your pardon?"

The leading health indicators in a battery are: [1] capacity that stores the energy, [2] internal resistance that enables current delivery, and [3] self-discharge that reflects mechanical integrity and reveals stress-related damage. Li-ion provides 300 to 500 full discharge cycles before the capacity drops to about 80 percent, marking the end-of-life. Low capacity is the most common cause of failure; capacity is also the hallmark when to replace the battery.

While improving battery performance is important - and the high attendance list at battery seminars proves this - not enough emphasis is placed on the battery once the pack is put into active duty. Product development and agency approval are preoperational phases that can be compared with a youngster going to school. While this is vital to build a career, achievements present themselves only while in the workforce.

We thank our Battery University community for their prior art submissions and our lawyer for her efforts to win the case. What is less pleasant is paying the high legal fees to defend such a frivolous lawsuit. You may notice much new information on www.BatteryUniversity.com as the pages are continuously being updated. Much is happening in the battery world and we always appreciate your comments.