Low-temperature batteries are special batteries developed specifically to address the inherent low-temperature defects in the performance of chemical power sources.
What are cryogenic batteries? What are the advantages and uses of cryogenic lithium-ion batteries? At that time, most parts of China had cold climates, and many battery-powered electronic products, including electrical appliances, were affected by the cold temperatures. Regarding cryogenic batteries, many people might have the following questions: What are cryogenic batteries? What are their uses?
What is a low-temperature battery?
Low-temperature batteries are specialized batteries developed specifically to address the inherent low-temperature limitations of chemical power sources. For low-temperature batteries, VGCF and activated carbon with a specific surface area of (200,000 ± 500) m²/g are selected as additives and corresponding positive and negative electrode materials. The injection of a special electrolyte containing these additives ensures the low-temperature discharge capability of the battery, and the 24-hour volume change rate is maintained at 0.5% at 70°C, exhibiting the safety and storage capabilities of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Low-temperature batteries refer to lithium-ion batteries with an operating temperature below -40℃. They are mainly used in special aerospace, airborne equipment, scientific research and emergency rescue, electrical communications, public safety, medical electronics, railways, ships, robotics, and other fields. Based on discharge performance, low-temperature lithium-ion batteries can be divided into low-temperature lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for energy storage and low-temperature lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for amplification. Based on application areas, low-temperature lithium-ion batteries can be divided into special low-temperature lithium-ion batteries and industrial low-temperature lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Based on their operating environment, they can be divided into three major series: civilian low-temperature batteries, special low-temperature batteries, and extreme environment low-temperature batteries.
Key applications of cryogenic batteries include: professional aerospace, polar scientific research, emergency rescue in cold regions, electrical communications, public safety, medical electronics, railways, ships, and robotics.
Advantages and applications of low-temperature lithium-ion batteries
Low-temperature lithium-ion batteries offer advantages such as light weight, high energy density, and long lifespan, making them widely used in various electronic devices. Among them, low-temperature lithium-ion polymer batteries boast advantages such as simple packaging, variable battery geometry, extremely light weight, ultra-thin thickness, and high safety, and have become the power source for many mobile electronic devices.
Ordinary civilian batteries cannot be used at -20°C, while cryogenic lithium-ion batteries can still function normally at -50°C. Currently, cryogenic batteries are typically used in environments with temperatures below or equal to 50°C. Besides communication power supplies, dedicated mobile power supplies, signal power supplies, and low-power device drive power supplies should also use cryogenic batteries. These power supplies also have low-temperature performance requirements when operating in the field.
China's ongoing space exploration projects, such as spaceflight and lunar landings, are also expected to utilize high-performance energy storage, particularly cryogenic lithium-ion batteries. This is because specialized communication products have more stringent requirements for battery characteristics, especially at lower temperatures. Therefore, the development of cryogenic lithium-ion batteries is of great significance to the development of the specialized aerospace industry.
Low-temperature lithium-ion batteries are widely used due to their light weight, high energy density, and long lifespan. They are made with special materials and processes, making them suitable for sub-zero temperatures.
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have successfully developed a cryogenic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that maintains room-temperature performance at temperatures as low as -60 degrees Celsius. Currently, cryogenic LFP batteries and cryogenic polymer lithium-ion batteries are important types of cryogenic batteries driving market development. Both of these cryogenic battery technologies are relatively mature.
Features of low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries
● Excellent low-temperature performance: At -40℃, after a power outage of 0.5℃, the discharge capacity is greater than 60% of the initial capacity; at a discharge temperature of -35℃, after a power outage of 0.3℃, the discharge capacity is greater than 70% of the initial capacity.
● Operating temperature range from -40℃ to 55℃;
● At a temperature of -20℃, the low-temperature lithium iron phosphate battery, using a 0.2C discharge cycle test curve, still retains a capacity of over 93% after 300 cycles.
● The discharge curves of low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries can be found between -40℃ and 55℃ at different temperatures.
Low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries are a new technology developed through long-term research and testing. Special functional materials are added to the electrolyte. Superior raw materials and technology ensure effective discharge performance at extremely low temperatures. These low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries are widely used in low-temperature applications, such as special equipment, aerospace, diving equipment, polar scientific expeditions, electrical communications, public security, and medical electronics.
