SHINHOP laser

If you are engaged in the welding technology or production of power batteries, how can you weld your battery products well without a good understanding of the characteristics of various power batteries? This ensures your battery products maintain a leading position in the new energy market. Below, the laser equipment supplier, Shenzhen SHINHOP Laser, will help you understand the characteristics of various power batteries.
Currently, the main types of power batteries in the market are lead-acid batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, fuel cells, and lithium batteries, among which lithium batteries are widely used in new energy vehicles.
1. Lead-acid batteries
Lead-acid batteries have the longest application history and the most mature technology. They are the cheapest batteries in terms of cost and price and have achieved mass production. Among them, valve-regulated lead-acid batteries (VRLA) once became an important power battery for vehicles, used in many EVs and HEVs developed by European and American car companies, such as the Saturn and EVI electric vehicles developed by General Motors in the 1980s and 1990s.
Advantages of lead-acid batteries:
Since the invention of lead-acid batteries in 1958, their use and development have a history of over 100 years. They are widely used in the power end of internal combustion locomotives. The lead-acid batteries used in new energy vehicles need to provide power for the vehicle, so their main development direction is to improve specific energy and increase the cycle life. Lead-acid batteries are the most mature new energy battery system. In 1881, the world's first electric tricycle used lead-acid batteries. Due to the maturity, reliability, and low raw material costs of lead-acid batteries, as well as their specific power being able to meet the power requirements of electric drives, they are widely used in new energy vehicles.
Advantages of lead-acid batteries:
1. Except for lithium-ion batteries, lead-acid batteries have the highest voltage among on-site batteries, which is 2.0V;
2. Low manufacturing cost;
3. Can be made in various sizes and structures ranging from 1Ah to several thousand Ah;
4. Good high-rate discharge performance, can be used for engine starting;
5. Energy efficiency can reach 60%;
6. Good performance in high and low temperatures, can operate under conditions of -40℃ to 60℃;
7. Easy to use in float charging, no "memory" effect, and easy to identify the state of charge.
Disadvantages of lead-acid batteries:
1. Low specific energy, relatively large overall mass and volume required for new energy vehicles, and a shorter range on a single charge;
2. Short lifespan and high subsequent usage costs;
3. Long charging time;
4. Lead is a heavy metal, which poses pollution issues, contrary to the concept of new energy vehicles.
2. Nickel-hydrogen batteries
Working principle of nickel-hydrogen rechargeable batteries:
Certain metals have a strong ability to capture hydrogen. Under certain temperature and pressure conditions, these metals can absorb large amounts of hydrogen, forming metal hydrides while releasing heat. Subsequently, when these metal hydrides are heated, they decompose and release the stored hydrogen. These metals that can "absorb" hydrogen are called hydrogen storage alloys. Hydrogen storage alloys have a strong hydrogen storage capacity. The density of hydrogen stored per unit volume is 1000 times that of gaseous hydrogen under the same temperature and pressure conditions, equivalent to storing high-pressure hydrogen at 1000 atmospheres.

1. Advantages of nickel-hydrogen batteries:
Nickel-hydrogen batteries have good resistance to overcharging and over-discharging, do not have heavy metal pollution issues, and during operation, there is no phenomenon of electrolyte increase or decrease, allowing for a sealed design and maintenance-free operation. Compared to lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries have higher specific energy, specific power, and cycle life, with a typical cycle life of 3000 times.
2. Disadvantages of nickel-hydrogen batteries:
The battery has poor memory effect, and as the charge and discharge cycles progress, the hydrogen storage alloy gradually loses its catalytic ability, causing the internal pressure of the battery to gradually increase, affecting its use. Additionally, the self-discharge rate is high, meaning that even when not in use, it will still consume power. Furthermore, the high price of nickel metal also leads to higher costs.
3. Fuel cells
Fuel cells are devices that directly convert the chemical energy present in fuel and oxidizer into electrical energy. Fuel and air are fed into the fuel cell, and electricity is produced. It appears to have positive and negative electrodes and electrolytes, resembling a battery, but in essence, it cannot "store electricity"; rather, it is a "power plant."
Compared to ordinary chemical batteries, fuel cells can replenish fuel, usually hydrogen. Some fuel cells can use methane and gasoline as fuel, but they are generally limited to use in power plants and industrial fields such as forklifts. The basic principle of hydrogen fuel cells is the reverse reaction of electrolysis of water, supplying hydrogen and oxygen to the anode and cathode, respectively. Hydrogen diffuses outward through the anode and reacts with the electrolyte, releasing electrons that travel through an external load to reach the cathode.

Advantages of fuel cells:
1. High power generation efficiency, high specific energy, low radiation, wide fuel range, and high reliability!
Disadvantages of fuel cells:
1. High cost
Especially the initial setup cost is still higher than that of generators, making it difficult to promote. Although costs are decreasing with technological advancements, there is still a long way to go.
2. Limited types of fuel
Currently, whether it is liquid hydrogen, gaseous hydrogen, hydrogen stored in metal hydrides, or hydrogen converted from hydrocarbons through reforming, these are the only fuels for fuel cells. The production, storage, management, transportation, and refilling or reforming of hydrogen are quite complex and have high safety requirements. However, the singularity of fuel types allows for the establishment of a standardized and unified supply system.
3. High technical threshold
The high pressure resistance and sealing requirements of individual fuel cell stacks make the manufacturing process of fuel cell engines very complex, and it brings many difficulties in usage and maintenance.
4. Requires infrastructure support
Providing hydrogen production is a complex project, and the supporting facilities need further improvement.
4. Lithium-ion batteries
Automotive lithium-ion power batteries are developed based on disposable lithium batteries and are currently the main direction for the research and development of batteries for pure electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries have many advantages such as no memory effect, low self-discharge rate, environmental friendliness, high specific energy, and high specific power. They are the most favored potential onboard batteries by research institutions and automotive manufacturers after nickel-hydrogen batteries. Lithium batteries can be classified based on the type of positive electrode materials into lithium manganese oxide batteries, lithium cobalt oxide batteries, lithium iron phosphate, nickel cobalt manganese lithium, and lithium aluminum oxide. Among large aluminum shell power batteries, lithium manganese oxide is quite common.

Lithium-ion batteries are currently the most widely used type of battery, especially in the application of new energy vehicles, possessing many market advantages. The downside is that they can consume a large portion of the electricity supply, even leading to tight electricity supply in some regions.