Battery Life Cycle – Assessment, Extension and Calculation

We all use batteries for different purposes, mainly to power our electronic devices. Batteries have become very important in the modern world. However, there are many things most users don’t know about battery usage.

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Did you know that a rechargeable battery has a specific life cycle? That is the number of full charges you can get before your battery finally gives in. Manufacturers must assess a battery life before putting it on the market. This helps them know whether or not the battery will serve its intended purpose for a specified period.

In this article, you will learn about the battery life cycle, specifically on assessment, extension, and calculation. Continue reading.

Battery Life Cycle Assessment

Perhaps you have already heard someone mention the battery life cycle and its benefits. But do you know what it is and how it works? And how do you get the report showing your battery life cycle?

If not yet, don’t worry. Here is an insight on battery LCA. This information is mostly for manufacturers who wish to improve their company’s sustainability.

What is LCA?

Life battery Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive analysis of a whole life cycle of a battery for the sake of sustainability. Every information given from the analysis and the data accompanying it must be factual. Every aspect of a product’s life cycle can have an impact on the environment. This includes material extraction from the environment, production, use, and what happens when the product can no longer be used. LCA helps to evaluate the environmental effects of your products and services.

LCA has many benefits. It can bring out important data that helps a company improve its product development, marketing, strategic planning, and even making policies. Consumers learn how sustainable the product is and the methods used in making it.

Battery life cycle assessment follows the same principles. This information is important for someone who wants to know the reliability of the battery.

Steps of Battery Life Cycle Assessment

There are four main stages of battery life cycle assessment:

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LCA Goal and Scope

In this step, you want to ensure the LCA is done consistently. Remember that an LCA draws the sketch of a battery life cycle. It’s important that you define your goals clearly, making sure every complex reality is simplified. The goal and scope define the reason for conducting an LCA, definition of the battery and its life cycle, among other essential choices.

Inventory Analysis of Extractions and Emissions

Batteries are no doubt one of the best sources of electrical energy for devices. However, some batterie may have a serious environmental impact. The second step of a battery LCA is inventory analysis, which looks and the inputs and outputs linked to the product.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment

In this step, one must draw a conclusion that allows one to make better business decisions. Whether you are conducting an LCA to buy the battery or to improve your company’s position, this is one step you must not skip. For instance, it allows you to choose how integrated you want the LCA results to be.

Interpretation

Now that you have conducted your tests, it’s time to check that your conclusions are substantiated well. This includes running a series of checks as described in the product’s expected standards. You can then share your results and improve the product.

Doing a battery LCA requires details and precision. It’s, therefore, not something for everyone. Most manufacturers will freely publish such information on their sites. It helps consumers make more informed decisions.

Battery Life Cycle Extension

Replacing a lithium-ion battery on your phone or laptop is never easy. But if you treat it right, you may never have to worry about replacing it for a very long time.

So, the question is, can you extend a battery life cycle? Yes. Here are some ideas:

Read about how batteries degrade. Information is key to getting the best from your batteries. Therefore, understand that every charge cycle causes the battery to degrade slightly. A charge cycle means a full charge and discharge of the battery. For instance, a battery can have 400 cycles with a capacity degradation of 20%.

Avoid extreme temperatures. Extreme heat and cold as the main enemies of your battery’s life. Leaving it in these conditions can destroy the battery.

?Slow charge whenever possible. Fast charging is good, but it can leave adverse effects on your battery’s life cycle. It stresses the battery, which could be a reason for a reduced life cycle.

Do not drain the battery to 0%. Most batteries today come with a mechanism that cuts connected when the battery is too low. They don’t have a ‘memory,’ so it’s safe not to discharge them completely.

When storing the battery for a long time, charge them to 50%. This will keep the cells active for when you need to use them again. Do not charge to 100% or discharge completely.

Don’t charge while using the battery. This is another temptation for many users. Using a battery while connected to a charger can lead to faster degradation. So, always charge fast to about 100% and then disconnect to start using.

Reduce screen brightness and check your applications. You may have noticed that your battery seems to heat up when the device’s screen brightness is too high. This is because the battery is straining and releasing too much power. The same happens when you are using power-consuming apps. Reduce the brightness and check your apps.

Battery Life Cycle Calculation

Generally, you can calculate a battery life cycle based on its current rating in Milliampere (mA) as the battery’s capacity (mAh). You can use its input current rating and the load current of its circuit. When the load current is low, the battery life cycle will be much higher.

In simple terms;

Battery life = Capacity/load current in mA x 0.70.

0.70 is a factor that offers allowances for temperature, aging, and other aspects of your battery. These are external factors that have an effect on your battery.

Runtime = 10* AH/ Load in Watts

For Li-ion batteries, the runtime is the number of discharge/charge cycles before the capacity drops to 85%. The lifetime of a battery with 1100 cycles is about five years.