What is lithium battery energy content?

Who would’ve thought there would come a time when survival without our smartphones and other necessary electrical devices would seem impossible? The era of smartphones started just over a decade ago, but these pocket-sized computers are the heart of our lives as though they’ve been around forever. Such technological inventions are currently the driving force of life, but the real unspoken hero, responsible for energizing these smart creations are lithium batteries. These batteries were first traded commercially by Sony in 1991 purposely for use in camcorders, and that marked the introduction of a fantastic power source.

The use of lithium batteries has grown significantly over the years, and it may seem that they are just getting started. Being one of the most energetic rechargeable batteries in the market, they are found in almost every device, both commercial and basic household ones. They are currently the most preferred battery technology in small devices such as laptops, power tools, and mobile phones.

It does not come as a surprise to find out that these batteries are also taking over the commercial industry as well. Fuel-powered vehicles and aircraft are slowly becoming a thing of the past as lithium batteries are being modified to provide a more efficient power source for such inventions.

Definitions of lithium battery energy content

A lithium battery can be defined as an advanced form of battery technology that uses lithium ions as the primary component of its functionality. However, the question that bothers most users is what on earth makes this battery so energetic as compared to other types of cells. To get the answer, one needs to understand the energy content in these cells and how it functions to produce and use the energy.

The energy content of such batteries refers to the chemical energy that can be extracted from them and converted to electrical energy used to different power devices. On the other hand, energy density can be described as the amount of energy stored in the cells in the form of chemical energy. Lithium batteries are thus said to have a high energy density as compared to other types of cells, such as lead and nickel-based ones.

Lithium cells today, and especially lithium-ion batteries, boast of one of the highest energy densities in the industry with about 100-265 Wh/kg or 250-670 Wh/L. Furthermore, they are capable of delivering about three times more voltage than other technologies such as Nickel and lead cells. They can reach heights of up to a staggering 3.6V, which is quite high for batteries.

Battery comparison of energy density

Battery comparison of different energy density can prove to be quite the challenge, and any actual comparison should be based on actual evidence. Since there is a diverse range of manufacturers, batteries perform differently and with different energy densities. All this depends on what they were invented or optimized for. One should consider the actual application for the specific type of battery when making the comparison, as this determines performance at different levels.

There are, therefore, many factors to consider when comparing the energy densities of different batteries to make the right preference choice for your cell. Lead Acid batteries tend to hold the lowest energy densities in this technology with a low range of about 30 – 50 Wh/kg.

Nickel-based cells are placed just above the lead-acid batteries with NiCad holding about 45 – 80 Wh/kg while NiMH contains around 60 – 120 Wh/kg.

Top of the list is none other than the lithium batteries occupying the highest amount of energy densities. Occupying energy densities with heights of up to 200 Wh/kg depending on the class of lithium battery, they have proven to be the most potent source of energy in the battery industry. Lithium-ion cells with cobalt cathodes hold twice the energy of a nickel-based cell and four-times that of a lead-acid battery, making it an outstanding competitor.?

Since many consumers have always wished and demanded more battery runtime, the manufacturers responded by packing more active materials into the cells. This enabled lithium batteries to double their energy densities and thus lead at the top of the food chain since its dawn in 1991.

How to protect lithium battery energy content

The high energy densities of lithium batteries do not come at a low price. The more the energy density, the denser, the cells were filled with active materials. As the batteries near their theoretical energy density limit, new manufacturing methods and safety measures are coming up to counter the extinction of these batteries. However, there are ways in which consumers can contribute to protecting the energy content in lithium batteries.

1. Keep your lithium batteries at room temperature

Room temperature lies between 20- and 25-degrees C. Subjecting a fully charged lithium battery to extreme temperatures tends to disorient the chemical composition of the cells and thus to lead to distortion of the energy density. The cell is likely to leak, and this enables faster decomposition of the battery pack hence reducing its efficiency. Likewise, very low temperatures do not sit well with lithium cells, and the active materials in them are not designed to withstand such conditions. Exposing them to freezing temperatures could, therefore, interfere with the energy content.

2. Do not charge your lithium battery with a lead-acid charger

As mentioned before, the energy density of lithium-based batteries is four times that of lead-acid. This means that their chargers also vary in power supply and current or voltage control. A lead-acid charger may be too low to charge a powerful lithium-based one. Testing this theory could result in distortion of the chemical content in the cell and thus negatively affect the energy contained within it.

3. Do not tamper with the battery properties or the casing

Tampering with the original setting of the battery could expose it to faster deterioration as the chemical content within it would have changed. This would, in turn, make the battery inefficient as the energy density with fade faster over time.

4. Do not introduce any foreign substances to the cells

Such an act tends to disorient the chemical composition of the cells, which may lead to distortion of the initial energy density.

Final thoughts

Lithium batteries have been catalyzing the evolution of technology for decades now. The battery’s immense contributions due to high energy content have allowed humanity to come up with ideal ways to better their lives. The future of power and life looks bright when powered using lithium batteries.