Lithium-ion battery invented more than 30 years ago, is the most popular rechargeable battery due to its lightweight and high energy density. Powering laptops, and cell phones to electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries have become an important part of our daily lives. Storing more energy per unit mass i.e. three to four times than other batteries used in another technology, lithium-ion batteries are a common choice for most technologies. This blog covers the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery, from its use to reuse.
Table Of Contents:
How Lithium-Ion Battery Works?
Factors Affecting the Life Cycle Of a Lithium-Ion Battery
Extreme Temperatures
Charging Rate
Charging Method And Charger Quality
Charge Cycles And Depth Of Discharge
Storage Conditions
The Life Cycle of a Lithium-Ion Battery: From Use to Reuse
Phase I- Manufacturing
Phase II- Use
Phase III- Decline in Performance
Phase IV – End Of Battery Life
Phase V- Recycle
Phase VI- Reuse and Second Life
How Lithium-Ion Battery Works?
In a lithium-ion battery, lithium ions (Li+) move back and forth between the cathode and anode internally. During the battery charging process, ions are released by the cathode and received by the anode. During the discharging of the battery, the ions travel back from the anode to the cathode generating a flow of electrons helping to power the relevant device.
Factors Affecting the Life Cycle Of a Lithium-Ion Battery
Here are the factors that affect the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery.
Extreme Temperatures
High temperature has adverse effects on the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery. It accelerates the degradation and aging of the lithium-ion battery. Hence, it is important to maintain an appropriate temperature to increase a lithium-ion battery’s safety, performance, efficiency, and life cycle.
Charging Rate
Whether charging the battery quickly or slowly degrades the battery. Charging too quickly generates heat and hinders the battery’s materials and performance. Charging too slowly forms metallic lithium degrading the battery over time.
Charging Method And Charger Quality
Only the appropriate charging method and high-quality charger maintain the battery’s health. Low-quality chargers do a lot more harm. They can affect the battery life and lead to other problems over time. Using a high-quality charger maintains the health of batteries and can save money as you do not need to replace the batteries over time.
Charge Cycles And Depth Of Discharge
Charging and discharging frequently impact the battery lifecycle. Depth of discharge means the amount of energy cycled into and out of the battery on a given cycle. For example: 50% depth of discharge means 50% of its energy capacity is discharged before it begins charging again. To gain optimal lifespan, several charge cycles must be reduced, and avoid discharging batteries below 50% of their total capacity.
Storage Conditions
The conditions on how batteries are stored directly impact the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery. For the longevity of the battery, store the battery in a cool and dry environment with an appropriate charge level (around 50%).
The Life Cycle of a Lithium-Ion Battery: From Use to Reuse
The life cycle of a lithium-ion battery means several charge and discharge cycles that it can complete before declination its performance. Here are the phases of the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery.
Phase I- Manufacturing
The extracted raw materials like cobalt, nickel, and manganese are assembled into battery components including anode, cathode, separator, and electrolyte. The anode and cathode will separate from each other and mix with a conductive binder to form a slurry. Then foil coats them, and a special oven bakes foil into the electrolyte. The electrolyte is kept through a vacuum. After its completion, the battery case is sealed. The cells are welded to plates on both the anode and cathode and are assembled into packs. Testing each pack, several other packs are combined to reach the desired energy capacity. Finally, the pack is assembled into a case and connected to the Battery Management System (BMS). Now the entire Lithium-Ion battery is tested, ensuring safety and reliability.
Phase II- Use
Lithium-ion batteries run our entire world. They are used in portable electronics like smartphones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, etc. Electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and medical devices rely on lithium-ion batteries.
Phase III- Decline in Performance
After using lithium-ion batteries, gradually its ability to power the device decreases. Batteries undergo capacity loss, voltage drop, and reduction in charge retention.
Phase IV – End Of Battery Life
Now the battery no longer charges your device. It is better to replace the battery with a new one.
Phase V- Recycle
Since lithium-ion batteries contain toxic metals like cobalt, nickel, and manganese, they must be recycled carefully. The mishandling of this battery causes harmful effects to both humans and the environment. The recycling process is carried out in the following ways:
- Collection of Lithium-Ion batteries
- Sorting and Preparation
- Crushing Of Battery
- Hydrometallurgical processes
- Purification and Recovery
- Waste Management
Finally, the valuable chemicals are recycled by the manufacturer.
Phase VI- Reuse and Second Life
The valuable chemicals are reused and lithium-ion batteries gain their second life.
Conclusion
Though the lithium-ion battery is used everywhere and can be reused again, the toxins it contains can cause great harm to the environment. From manufacturing to gaining a second life, the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery undergoes many challenges. Addressing these, Batx Engeries has been doing its best to give a second life to them and minimize their impact on the earth.
