A Lithium ion battery is a modern innovation in the power solutions industry that is responsible for powering a lot of the new-age devices, from electric vehicles to laptops, cellphones, etc. The battery is considerably much lighter than other battery types and has a high energy density, with faster-charging capabilities making it suitable for a variety of applications that require extended power backup without the frequent need for a recharge.
Image Source: Luminous India
How Does a Lithium Ion Battery Work?
A Lithium ion battery consists of anodes, cathodes, separators, electrolytes and a pair of current connectors, where one contains a positive charge while the other contains a negative charge. Lithium is stored within the anodes and cathodes, and the electrolyte within the battery unit is responsible for driving lithium ions from the anodes to the cathodes towards the separator once positively charged.
This creates a process where free electrons present in anodes are created by the Lithium ions resulting in a charge that flows to the positive current collector. This current then flows through the devices being charged and back to the negative current collector creating an electrical loop.
Charging and Discharging of the Batteries
When the battery is in the discharge phase, lithium ions are released from the anodes to the cathodes. This generates a steady flow of electrons across the battery. Once a device is plugged in, this process is reversed, and the flow of electrons changes from the cathodes to the anodes.
Now that we have a basic understanding of what a lithium ion battery is and the way it works, let’s have a look at its power density vs. energy density!
Power Density Vs. Energy Density
Power density and energy density are two of the fundamental concepts in batteries. Let’s have a look at what each represents:
- Energy Density: The energy density of a battery is measured in watt-hours per kilogram and this reflects the amount of energy that the battery can store.
- Power Density: Power Density is also measured in watts per kilogram; however, it is to measure the amount of power that the battery can generate as per its size.
Benefits of Lithium Ion Batteries
A high-quality lithium ion battery can easily last 10 times as much compared to an acid-lead battery and will continue to offer exceptional performance even after 2000 cycles. Generally, the batteries last at least up to 5 years but may last more depending on the condition of the battery. The best part about these batteries is that unlike lead-acid batteries, they do not require any maintenance.
The Most Efficient Type of Battery
Their high rate of charge and discharge offers a versatile performance across multiple types of applications. While the fast-charging capability of the battery ensures minimal downtime, the high rate of discharge offers incredible bursts of power, and the performance of these batteries does not suffer even under the most stressful conditions.
Batteries with even half the mass of a lead-acid battery can provide more power. Moreover, they are lightweight. Therefore, you get more power at a reduced weight and size, offering greater flexibility to the end-user compared to a lead-acid battery that is much bigger and bulkier in comparison.
Lithium ion batteries are a new player in town, and their versatility is still being explored in industries. These batteries that power the electric vehicles of today and are touted to power even heavier machinery in the future are a great fit for homes that are looking for an inverter that makes use of this awesome new upcoming technology that has already taken the world by storm.
Luminous has some great-looking options in this range, and you can check out their official store to explore more about their inverters featuring lithium ion battery if you are thinking of replacing your old inverter with something that is more current gen in terms of technology and power!
