Cell phones, tablets, passenger cars, etc. used in our daily lives require energy, and energy is one of the most important characteristics of battery performance. That’s why battery storage systems have become indispensable components for effective energy distribution, energy management, and more. Central to the effectiveness of these systems is energy density, a parameter about the battery. Battery energy density is the ratio of the energy contained in a battery to its weight or size. There are two different ways to categorize it: weight energy density and volume energy density.
Volumetric energy density refers to the amount of energy contained in a certain volume. In our daily life there are cell phones, tablets, etc., which can be convenient to carry with us. In the automotive industry, increasing the volumetric energy density of the battery can make the electric car without increasing the internal size of the battery pack, which can make the electric car range increase and run further.
Weight energy density is a measure of how much energy a battery contains that is proportional to its weight. For specific industries where weight is extremely important, such as the drone industry, aerospace, etc., we design batteries to be as light as possible.
Battery energy density is critical because the higher the energy density of a battery, the longer it takes for the battery to release its charge relative to its size. However, in real life there isn’t a lot of room for batteries, and if a lot of energy is needed for output, a high density battery is advantageous. Energy density is so important for the following reasons:
1. Battery cost: Currently, the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is usually about 200wh/g, and the energy density of lead-acid batteries is usually about 50wh/g. The energy density of lithium-ion batteries is on average 3 to 5 times the energy density of lead-acid batteries. Therefore, to achieve the same energy capacity as high energy density lithium batteries, you have to buy more lead-acid batteries to achieve the same capacity.
2. Efficiency: Having a higher energy density means being able to store more energy in a smaller volume or mass. For higher energy density devices or equipment do not have enough space or weight to store the same amount of energy, so that higher energy density batteries can play an advantage, making it more efficient and practical in the application process.
3. Reduce overall cost: Increasing energy density can reduce the cost of the entire system. All other things being equal, a smaller battery pack means that less material is needed: less associated wiring, less cooling system, etc.
4. Range: In transportation, like electric cars, electric buses, etc., energy density directly affects the range of the vehicle. If the vehicle is equipped with a high energy density battery, it can travel longer distances and will not run out of power on long drives. This is a crucial point for electric vehicles, because the energy density of electric vehicles is the most important point to improve the range of electric vehicles.
Battery energy density is an extremely important parameter, meaning that higher efficiency, performance and utility can be achieved. Maximum energy density can drive technological advances, especially in the electric vehicle industry, by making electric vehicles smaller and lighter, improving handling and acceleration, and can provide drivers with greater efficiency and longer driving distances.
