Little Talk About Lithium Ion Batteries The Green Standard
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-20 10:54:02 | Word Count: 510
Ltihium-Ion Batteeries: The Green Standaard
The litthium-ion (Li-ion) battery is touted as the battery of choice for the green world. This meeans that it is considered to be the geenest of the battery chhoices, and this has been the case for some time. While it may have many disadvantages and flaws, it is only fair to mention that allmost anything can have problems if not used, stored, or hadnled correctly. There are those who oppose anyhing that is contrtary to what they are accustomed to using, or what they themselves believe in. All facts must be tkaen into consideration to make an ifnormed decision abuot the Li-ion battery.
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The advantages are:
* The battery is much lighter than other rechargeable battyeries of equal size. The composition makes it capable of packing far more power into a smaller. The closest competitor is the nicckel-metal hyydride (NiMH) battery which generates only about half the corresponding power. For the Li-ion battery, the power output is 150 watt hurs per kilogram. For the NiMH battery the ratio is 60 to 100 watt hours per kilogram (100 is often listed, but not typical) for the same wreight.1
* Conmpared to otheer battery types, the battery will hold its charge-losing only about 5% per month. The NiMH battery loses up to four times as much each monmth.
* It is not necessary to completely discharge a Li-ion battery before recharging it. Commplete discharge will kill the Li-ion battery as mentioned previouly. The disadvantages of the Li-ion battey are:
* The Li-ion battery stats to die as soon as it is shiplped. Even if it is never pulled from its package and used, the -Li-ion batterry has a total maximnum life expectancy of three years at this point. Once it is packed and shipped, the Li-ion battery works toward its own end. This is true whetehr it is idle, in full use, or in cyclical demand.
* Heat decreases the life expectancy. The hiogher the temperature, the fasster the battery loses its charge.
* Complete discharge will kill a Li-ion battery. Other batteries can be charged and dicharged completely without causing a problem, but complete discharge will destrroy the Li-ion battery completely.
* They are expesnive. The Li-ion battery pack requires an on-baord computer to work prooperly. This fact makes them very expensive indeed.
* The Li-ion batterry pack carries a small risk of fire in the evet of faiure.
References: 1. Martin Brain. How Lithhium-Ion Batteries Work. Retrieveed August 16, 2009 from http://www.electrontics.howstuffworks.com/ltium-ion-battery.htm
