Chapter 3: Batteries and Supercapacitors Flashcards
Battery (definition)
A battery is a an electrochemical cell (or a collection of multiple electrochemical cells) that produces electricity from a chemical energy
Chemical ==> Electrical Energy
Battery design
- A battery cell consists of one or more sets of (+) and (-) plates immersed in an electrolyte solution
A plate is an electrode consisting of active material supported on a grid framework
Active material is chemically reactive compound
The amount of active material is a proportional to the energy storage capacity of a battery
The grid is a metal framework that supports the active material of a battery cell and conducts electricity
Battery Classifications
Primary:
- Disposable batteries
- Use once and discard
- Zinc carbon, Alkaline batteries, ….
Secondary:
- Rechargeable batteries
- Recharge and use multiple times
- Lead, NiCd, NiZn, NiMH , Li-ion batteries,…
Classification for labeling batteries
5 elements to designate a battery
Internation electrochemical commision
- On digit for number of cells connected in series
- One letter to denote the electrochemical system
- On letter to denote shape (R= round, P = not round)
- Two or three digits as a unique physical dimension designation
- One or two letters as designation modifiers
L - ‘Alkaline’
S - ‘Silver Oxide’
C - ‘Lithium/MnO2’
B - ‘Lithium/CF’
4a. Two digit code denoting the maxium diamter
4b. Two-digit code denoting the maximum height
“Primary” batteries lifetime
- between 8-20% of their original charge lost every year at room T ==> self-discharge
==> “side” chemical reactions which occur if no load is applied
==> possible solution: storing at low T but avoiding freezing
“secondary” batteries lifetime
- Lifetime depends on the chemical reactions occurring between the battery parts and the electrolyte
==> side reactions:
corrosion of internal parts
Conversion of the active materials into inactive forms
==>
Chemical composition may change during charge/discharge cycles causing variations in the volume. This may limit the cycle life of the battery
Example : NiCd batteries
NiCd: 10% of charge lost during first 24hr, then at 10% every month
Some NiCd batteries already partially charged when purchased
NiCd batteries have to be fully discharged before recharge. without full discharge, crystals may build up on the electrodes, thus decreasing the active surface area and increasing internal resistance
“memory effect” (decrease battery capacity)
Batteries (4 steps)
- Every battery has two terminals, the positive cathode (+) and the negative anode (-)
(1) device switched on
(2) chemical reaction starts
(3) electrons travel from (-) to (+)
(4) electrical work is produced
Standard Modern Batteries
Lead - acid
Zinc - Carbon
Alkaline
NiCd
NiMH
Li-ion
Standard modern batteries: Lead - Acid
Used in cars, the electrodes are lead and lead oxide, with an acidic electrolyte. (rechargeable)
Discharge:
(-) Anode
Pb (s) + HSO4^- (aq) ==> PbSO4 (s) + H^+ (aq) + 2e^-
(+) Cathode
PbO2 (s) + HSO4^- (aq) + 3H^+ (aq) + 2e^- ==> PbSO4 (s) + 2H2O
Charge : Overall
PbO2 (s) + Pb (s) + 2H2SO4 ==> 2PbSO4 (s) + 2H2O (l)
Standard modern batteries (zinc carbon)
Used in all inexpensive AA, C and D drycell batteries. The electrodes are zinc and carbon, with an acidic paste between them that serves as the electrolyte (disposable)
Standard modern batteries (alkaline)
Used in common duracell and energizer batteries, the electrodes are zinc and manganese-oxide, with an alkaline electrolyte (disposable)
Standard modern batteries (NiCd)
Rechargeable but “memory effect”
Discharge:
Cd + 2OH^- ==> Cd(OH)2 + 2e^- (@Cd electrode)
2NiO(OH) + 2H2O + 2e^- ==> 2Ni(OH)2 + 2OH^- (@Ni electrode)
Charge:
2NiO(OH) + Cd + 2H2O ==> 2Ni(OH)2 + Cd(OH)2
Electrolyte: alkaline electrolyte (KOH)
Standard modern batteries (NiMH)
Rechargeable, “memory effect” (but much less than NiCd)
Charge:
(-) H2O + “M” +2e^- <==> OH^- +MH
(+) Ni(OH)2 + OH^- <==> NiO(OH) + H2O + e^-
“M” = intermetallic specie
“M” = AB_2, AB_5, i.e. A = Ti, V or rare earth mixture elements; B =Zr, Ni
Electrolyte: alkaline electrolyte (KOH)
Discharge
Standard modern batteries (Li-ion)
Rechargeable, no “memory effect”
Battery Capacity
(Lead -acid batteries)
Temperature and discharge rate may affect capacity
Warmer batteries are capable of storing and delivering more charge than colder batteries
However, high temperatures decrease the useful life of a battery. Manufacturers generally rate lead-acid batteries performance and life cycle at 25 degrees C
Rate of discharge
Discharge rate is expressed as a ratio of the nominal battery capacity to the discharge time in hours
For example, a 5 A discharge for a
nominal 100 Ah battery would be a
C/20 discharge rate
The designation C/20 indicates that 1/20th of the rated capacity is discharged per hour, or that the battery will be completely discharged after 20 hrs
Capacity is directly affected by the rate of discharge. Lower discharge rates are able to remove more energy from a battery before it reaches the cut off voltage. Higher discharge rates remove less energy before the battery reaches the same voltage
State of charge (SOC) vs Depth of discharge (DOD)
The SOC is the percentage of energy remaining in a battery compared to the fully charge capacity
Dischargin a battery decreases the state of charge, while charging increases the state of charge
For example, a battery that has had three quaters of its capacity removed is at 25% state of change
Self-discharge rate
Self discharge is the gradual reduction in the state of charge while at the steady state condition
self discharge is also referred to as “stand-by” or “shelf” loss
self discharge is a result of internal electrochemical mechanisms and losses
The rate of self-discharge differs among battery types and increases with battery age
Self discharge rates are typically specified in percentage of rated capacity per month
Higher temperatures result in higher self-discharge rates
Charge rate
The electrons passing through in the opposite direction reverse the chemical reactions and restore the active materials and electrolyte to their original compositions
Charge rate is quantified in the same way as discharge rate
For example a charging rate of C/50 to a 100 Ah battery applies 2 A of current until the battery reaches a specific fully charged voltage
Battery selection criteria
Each battery type has design and performane features suited for particular applications
System designers must consider the advantages and disadvantages of different battery types with respect to the requirements of a particular system
Considerations include lifetime, deep cycle performance, tolerance to high temperatures and overcharge, and maintenance requirements
Batteries in series
Batteries are first connected in series by connecting the (-) terminal of one battery to the (+) terminal of the next battery
There is only one path for the current flow, so the circuit current remains the same as individual battery current
For batteries of similar capacity and voltage connected in series, the circuit voltage is the sum of the individual battery voltages, and the circuit capacity is the same as the capacity of the individual batteries
If batteries with different capacities are connected in series, the capacity of the string is limited by the lowest capacity battery
Batteries in parallel
Batteries are connected in parallel by connecting all the (+) terminals together and all the (-) together
Batteries connected in parallel provide more than one path for current to flow, so currents add together at the common connections
The current of the parallel circuit is the sum of the currents from the individual batteries
The voltage across the circuit is the same as the voltage across the individual batteries, and the overall capacity is the sum of the capacities of each battery
Series strings of batteries can also be connected in parallel in the same way
Lead - acid batteries
(equation)
The relation between current, discharge time, and capacity is approximated (over a certain range of current values) by Peukerts’s law
t = Q_p / I^k
t = amount of time ( in hrs) that the battery can sustain
Q_p = capacity when discharged at a rate of 1 amp
I = current drawn from the battery
k = constant =~ 1.3