batteries Archives - Arbin Instruments

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Why is lithium-ion battery recycling still limited?

April 2, 2021

Creator: UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering - David Baillot

Market analysts predict that 705,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries will reach end-of-life by 2025. With batteries growing to be a staple in a future of clean energy, this number is set to grow exponentially, potentially reaching 9 million tons per year by 2040. Despite the increasing battery waste, the battery recycling rate is considerably low — it is currently estimated to only be 5%.

Why is the rate of lithium-ion battery recycling so low?

Even though long-term environmental and economic considerations incentivize battery recycling, lithium-ion battery recycling is still relatively young and underdeveloped. There are multiple reasons why the practice has yet to take off:

Cheaper Raw Materials

Although recycled materials just are as usable as newly mined ones, the price of raw materials can sometimes be cheaper than recycled materials. Cobalt is one example. If the price of fresh cobalt is cheaper, recyclers would not be able to compete and the recycling business would not be economically viable. The possibility of new chemistries emerging also threatens the recycling business. For instance, if cobalt is fully edged out of batteries, recyclers would have no incentive to extract it from battery waste. If other battery chemistries that use a different combination of materials become more popular than lithium-ion, there would also be less incentive to retrieve materials in discarded batteries.

Complex chemistries

The different mixtures of materials also complicates battery recycling. Even though all li-ion batteries contain lithium, other components may vary. Different batteries may contain metals like nickel, cobalt, iron, aluminium and more. With constantly shifting battery chemistries, creating an efficient extraction process is challenging, as they need to be adapted to each material that will be recovered. In turn, this would also raise the cost of recycling and make it less profitable.

Difficult processes

The structure of lithium-ion batteries also places another obstacle in front of efficient recycling. The components of a battery cell — cathode, anode, separator, electrolyte — are usually tightly wound or stacked together, and are not designed to be easily disassembled. There are also different cell designs and configurations. Larger battery packs, such as those for electric vehicles can contain thousands of these cells, further complicating the process. Each cell design would require a different disassembling processes and scales of operation, once again making it challenging to arrange a universally efficient and effective recycling process.

The benefits of battery recycling

In spite of these challenges, battery recycling is still a worthy venture. Environmentally, proper battery waste handling can prevent toxic battery materials from leaking into the ground in landfills and polluting the ground and water. Moreover, improper disposal of batteries can cause fires and explosions at landfills and waste management facilities. Damaged batteries can trigger thermal runaway events, which can be hazardous.

Moreover, increasing the supply of recycled metals could reduce the need to mine, also slowing down the depletion of materials. It would be more sustainable in the long run to include recycled materials into the supply chain in order to maintain a stable supply of battery components. Recycling batteries also reduce dependence on foreign sources of materials, lowering the cost of batteries as well as EVs and other devices.

As batteries become more and more prevalent in everyday life, from household products to energy storage, battery waste should be properly handled and taken care of. Governments are working to increase incentives for battery recycling, to create more sustainable supply chains and reduce the environmental impact of increasing battery use. Private companies and industries are also finding innovative ways to make battery recycling more accessible through lower costs and streamlining.

Learn more about how Arbin helps customers on the forefront of battery research.

What are some different types of energy storage?

March 10, 2021

While batteries are the most common form of energy storage in everyday life, used in phones, tablets, watches, remotes and many other household items, they are not the only type of energy storage device. Each type is suited for different applications. Here are 3 different types of energy storage devices and the different ways they are used.

Batteries

Batteries are electrochemical devices, generating electricity through chemical reactions. Connected with an external circuit, electrons inside the battery flow from one electrode to the other, creating an electrical current that powers the load. Particular combinations of materials do not react in the same way, and each chemistry can store different amounts of energy and operate at different voltage ranges. Lithium-ion batteries are the most commonly used nowadays, favored because of their high capacities, stability, low self-discharge rate, and relatively low need for maintenance. Lithium-ion batteries can also be charged and discharged many times while maintaining its integrity and safety. Alkaline batteries are another common battery chemistry, used to power remotes, flashlights, toys and many other items. Lead-acid batteries are used in cars to start the motor.

In smaller applications, batteries are quite favorable; phones, tablets and other portable devices can last for a day before needing to be recharged. However, when it comes to larger applications such as electric vehicles or grid storage, their capacity still falls short. Batteries are the heaviest and most expensive part of an electric vehicle, and most still do not hold enough capacity to match up to internal-combustion engine vehicles. Further improvements in batteries will eventually even out the playing field, allowing for the same size of batteries to store more energy than before, increasing its competitiveness and viability for large-scale applications.

Redox flow batteries

Redox flow batteries are another type of chemical cell, but they operate in a completely different way than typical cell batteries. Flow batteries are liquid based, consisting of two half-cells each connected to an electrolyte tank. The half-cells are filled with the cathode and anode solutions and energy is released or store through the continuous circulation of the electrolytes through the half-cells.

Unlike lithium batteries, flow batteries are favorable for larger-scale, albeit, stationary, applications. Energy capacity is easily scalable by using bigger tanks and more concentrated electrolyte solutions. However, since they are typically quite large in size, they are not the best choice for portable applications. With some experts suggesting that they can last up to 30 years, they are being explored as a cost effective alternative for large-scale energy storage.

Supercapacitors

Supercapacitors, on the other hand, store energy statically rather than chemically. An electric field is created when ions present in the electrolyte migrate from one metal electrode plate to another.

Supercapacitors are very different from chemical-based energy storage devices. They do not have high energy density, holding only 1 to 30 Wh/kg. However, they have very high power densities, meaning that it can release a large amount of energy, as well as recharge, in a short period of time.

The nature of the supercapacitor makes it suitable for high-powered applications such as regenerative braking. In grid storage applications, the supercapacitor can act as a buffer to meet peak-load demand, quickly releasing energy into the grid when there is a sudden spike in demand, before the main energy storage can kick in.

Each type of energy storage device has their advantages and limitations. Some are looking at how to combine different types and capitalize on their advantages. Researches at the Queensland University of Technology are working on a hybrid of batteries and supercapacitors to create a device that can have the energy capacity of batteries with the power density of supercapacitors. These kinds of innovations will help push energy storage forward and create more efficient solutions for the future. From batteries, to flow batteries, to supercapacitors, Arbin Instruments has high quality equipment to test different types of solutions. Talk to an expert today to find what suits your research and development needs.

Batteries Provide Critical Support During COVID-19 Pandemic

March 19, 2020

The strain on the global economy and infrastructure as COVID-19, or coronavirus, continues to spread is enormous.

Healthcare entities need to find ways to handle increased demand and the need for effective telemedicine, the United Nations predicts a potential $2-trillion dip in the world’s economy as a result of the pandemic, and industries the world over need to find agile solutions to address this strain.

However, one aspect of these plans of attack remains consistent – batteries.

How Batteries Support Solutions During Times of Uncertainty

Batteries help the world’s major players and industries address the challenges brought about by COVID-19 and other pandemics in three key ways, including:

Making Remote Work Not Only Possible, But Fruitful
As distancing recommendations and remote work requirements continue to rise in an effort to combat the virus’s spread, remote capabilities need to provide an avenue toward respecting these regulations without a significant dip in productivity.These work from home efforts, which are driving every industry from education to healthcare during this pandemic, are powered by devices and critical networks that make them possible.And, in turn, these assets are driven by batteries.

Batteries ensure that these remote initiatives are prepped for success, providing reliability and dependability users can rely on, particularly at the network level as demands increase.
Helping the Healthcare Industry Address Rising Demand
In addition to supply chain concerns and strain, healthcare providers are being forced to reckon with skyrocketing demand, potential telemedicine solutions and more.These telemedicine solutions go hand-in-hand with the aforementioned remote initiatives, but even more critical are hospital and physician efforts to account for the sheer number of patients expected to enter the system in the coming months.Critical equipment making this response possible is driven by batteries, again highlighting their role in supporting the overall efforts to respond to and curtail the ripple effect of COVID-19.
Connecting People Across the Globe to Critical Information
Perhaps no commodity is more valuable during pandemics like COVID-19 than information.In today’s interconnected society, the spread of critical information is more possible than ever before – but not without the infrastructure to support this dissemination.Enter batteries. Batteries help power the global network that delivers key insights and directives to every corner of every industry, helping unite the world’s efforts to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19 head on. Learn more about Arbin’s role in ensuring batteries carry the load they need to in times of uncertainty

Learn more about Arbin’s role in ensuring batteries carry the load they need to in times of uncertainty

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5 Key Features of Reliable and Efficient Battery Test Equipment

December 10, 2019

Test equipment should facilitate rather than frustrate the testing process. Good equipment allows researchers to pick up the smallest of changes during the experiment. Durable and reliable equipment have a mixture of qualities that work together for an accurate and efficient testing process. Outlined below are 5 key features of good battery testing equipment.

High resolution Resolution refers to the smallest change in measurement that can be detected by the equipment’s sense and control circuitry. Higher resolution allows for higher clarity in the data. For instance, Arbin’s equipment has 24-bit resolution, compared with the industry standard of 16-bit. This allows the slightest changes in voltage and current to be visible to a greater number of digits. This is crucial as significant changes and patterns in measurement would be missed with lower resolution equipment.
High Precision High precision equipment means that there is less noise/fluctuation in the equipment’s measurement. Precision also indicates the consistency and repeatability of the instrument’s measurement circuitry. Miniscule changes in the data are lost when there is too much noise. The lack of precision also prevents consistent and repeatable results from experiments. This makes it extremely difficult to see trends early in the cycle life, and see the differences between early cell degradation.
Accuracy Accuracy refers to the trueness of the test equipment measurement. In other words, the closeness of the average sample to its true value. Good accuracy is best evaluated when the equipment also has high resolution and precision. Without the clarity and clean readings, the accuracy specification alone is much less meaningful.
Minimal temperature fluctuations The temperature of the test equipment will inevitably affect its measurement. Good equipment minimizes this impact. Temperature stabilization is achieved through the design of the equipment. For example, Arbin’s equipment makes use of shunt designs and high quality materials that are resistant to temperature fluctuations. Internal thermal control mechanisms also isolate sensitive components and tightly regulate temperature. Since temperature is a component that greatly affects the functioning of a battery, these features that regulate temperature are essential in maintaining control over the testing process. Temperature fluctuations are easily visible with high resolution and high precision equipment, allowing researchers to catch these changes.
Robust Materials As with any research equipment, ones made with quality material and quality construction stand the test of time. Reliable battery test equipment is resistant to corrosion and temperature and can hold calibration well. Since battery-testing can be quite long-term, reliable equipment should be able to stay consistent throughout the entire testing process. Equipment that fails or breaks down in the middle of the testing cycle will greatly hinder the research and development process.
The benefits of high quality battery test equipment High quality test equipment is needed to accelerate the battery development process. Industries like the Electrical Vehicle (EV) industry benefit greatly from high precision test equipment like Arbin’s that can detect the smallest differences between cells and materials early in the cycle life. EV batteries are projected to last 8-10 years, but a long test cycle slows down the development process. EV batteries can then fall behind the development speed of the other parts of the vehicle. Reliable, high-precision test equipment allow researchers and manufacturers to accelerate the testing and development process, and allow them to advance faster with materials research and battery development.
High quality test equipment accelerates development by providing reliable and precise data for the research process. All the above features are complementary and work best together. For more in depth information on how to evaluate battery test equipment click here.