What Factors Affect the Capacity of A Cell or Battery –Life and Performance

Battery life entails the overall measurement of a battery’s performance and activity. The common lead-acid batteries are created to offer a maximum power discharge throughout their life cycle. The average life span of a typical battery should be about 3 to 5 years. After a battery’s service life, you will notice a rapid decline in its capacity. This article discusses some of the factors that may affect a battery’s life, charging system, and overall performance. Understanding these factors is critical for any business entity. 

Factors Affecting Battery Life

Five key factors that affect the life of any given battery are:

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Ambient Temperature

The temperature of any normal operating battery or cell should range at 250C, equivalent to 770F. Any variations, that is, any increase or decrease in temperature, will definitely alter the battery's life. For instance, if a battery's temperature increases to 500C, the battery's life is reduced by a certain percentage. 

Cycling

Cycling entails recharging a lead-acid battery for future use after a power failure. According to research, each discharge and recharge of the battery during cycling is likely to affect the battery's life. The length and depth of the recharge and discharge cycle directly affect the rate at which the battery's life will be affected.  

Battery Chemistry

Generally, all home appliances tend to be less functional after prolonged use. For instance, a machine that you bought ten years ago cannot function effectively and efficiently like the one you bought recently. The same applies to batteries; their chemical composition slowly decreases over time. Even if you maintain them well, you will still replace them. 

Application

Using a battery for the right application automatically increases its battery life. For example, if a battery is meant to deliver high power rates for only 15 minutes, you cannot make it run for longer periods. Also, ensure you are using the recommended battery for your machine. Failure to do so can cause premature failure of batteries.

Maintenance

One critical factor that affects the life of a battery is maintenance. Good servicing and maintenance of batteries to increase their battery life entail:

-Frequent voltage checks

-Load testing

-Monitoring the battery’s system

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Periodic maintenance helps to get rid of:

-Loose connections

-Corrosion

-Bad batteries

Regular maintenance of batteries prevents unexpected battery failure. It makes it easy to estimate the end of the battery’s life and plan for replacements in advance. 

Factors Affecting Charging of a Battery

The main function of any given battery is the provision of power. Therefore, how you charge it affects its life cycle. Since most batteries experience frequent recharging and discharging processes, following the manufacturer's instructions can save your battery life. Below are some of the parameters that may affect the charging of a battery, which tampers with its performance.

Battery State of Charge

The battery state of charge (BSOC) estimates the total energy present in a battery at a certain capacity. To give an instance, a battery with 50% BSOC and a 300 Ah capacity has stored energy of 150 Ah. To increase the battery's battery performance, know its state of charge, giving a rough idea of its voltage.

Depth of Discharge

The depth of discharge (DOD) is precisely the amount of energy withdrawn from a given battery. Nearly all batteries can corrode or damage if you withdraw the full energy they store. If the manufacturer recommends that the depth of discharge of a given battery is 30%, you are supposed to withdraw not more than 30% of power from the battery. 

Daily Depth of Discharge

Apart from the depth of discharge, the manufacturer also specifies the daily depth of discharge. The daily depth of discharge is the maximum fraction of power that can be withdrawn from a battery within 24hours. Failure to follow the depth of discharge and the daily depth of discharge instructions can affect the charging and performance of the battery. 

Charging and Discharging Rates

Charging and discharging rates specify when a battery takes to fully charge or discharge. Put in mind that you cannot discharge a battery fully. A battery may develop complications when using higher or lower charging and discharging rates than the recommended rate. Furthermore, if you fail to adhere to the given rates, you may damage the charging system, which reduces the battery's life. 

Factors Affecting Battery Performance

Factors that affect the performance and efficiency of any rechargeable battery are:

Charge Current

The charge current used greatly affects the performance of batteries. For instance, lithium-ion batteries charge best at a moderate level current. If you were to use high currents, the batter's internal system could be affected, thus resulting in decreased performance. On the other hand, using lower currents can increase the battery's longevity, however, it may reduce capacity too. 

State of Charge

The state of charge of a given battery is its level of charge at a given capacity at any given period. For example, lithium-ion batteries have a relatively lower charge state than lead-acid batteries. It is important to know each battery’s state of charge to maximize its efficiency and performance in general. Use the flat discharge curve or the output voltage to measure the state of charge of a battery. 

Internal Resistance

According to scientists, the lower the battery's internal resistance, the more effective it is. A lower internal resistance stabilizes the battery's system, which increases its lifespan. Factors that are likely to affect a battery's internal resistance include:

-Size

-Age

-Current

-Chemistry

Most manufacturers strive to produce batteries that maintain a low internal resistance even after long use and age. 

Battery Temperature

Each type of battery has a recommended range of temperature that should be employed during charging and discharging. Lithium-ion batteries charge between 320 F and 1130 F and discharge between -40 F and 1310 F. Exposing them to higher temperatures than the recommended affects their life span and performance. On the flip side, exposing them to freezing temperatures may damage the battery’s anode and reduce its capacity.