Solutions for low-temperature protection of lithium batteries are a question many people want to know, because ordinary batteries are easily damaged irreversibly when used at low temperatures. The main reason is that low temperatures can easily cause lithium plating, resulting in a decrease in the number of lithium ions inside the battery. This manifests as a reduction in battery capacity, the battery running out of power quickly during use, rapid charging, and overheating, among other problems.
If you pay attention, you'll notice that when using batteries in low temperatures, the lower the temperature, the less effective the battery becomes, and it will run out of power very quickly. If the temperature is too low, the battery may even become unusable. Therefore, to solve this problem, some lithium battery manufacturers have developed and produced low-temperature batteries specifically designed for use in low-temperature environments. This allows the batteries to maintain a certain working time even at low temperatures.
There are two main solutions for battery low-temperature protection: adding insulation systems through technology and developing and manufacturing low-temperature batteries specifically designed for low temperatures. Let's briefly discuss these solutions.
I. Enhancing the insulation system through technology
This method of battery low-temperature protection involves adding a self-heating system to the outside of the battery. Before entering low-temperature applications, the self-heating system is activated to keep the battery at a certain temperature for normal operation. Although this method is feasible, it not only increases the battery manufacturing cost but also increases the battery's workload, wasting some of the battery's capacity, and the working efficiency is not ideal.
Therefore, many lithium battery manufacturers now use the following method.
II. Research and development and manufacturing of cryogenic batteries specifically designed for low-temperature applications.
Developing and manufacturing low-temperature batteries specifically designed for low-temperature applications is the best way to solve the problem of battery low-temperature protection. After years of research and development, battery manufacturers have identified two relatively high-performance low-temperature batteries on the market: low-temperature polymer lithium batteries and low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries. Juda Lithium Battery, as a professional manufacturer of low-temperature batteries, has developed and manufactured high-performance low-temperature batteries. Let's take a look at the performance of low-temperature polymer lithium batteries and low-temperature lithium iron phosphate batteries:
1. Charge-discharge performance curves of low-temperature polymer lithium batteries
Discharge efficiency exceeds 60% at 0.5C within a temperature range of -20 to -40°C.
Discharge efficiency exceeds 60% at 0.5C and temperatures ranging from -40 to -50°C.
2. Low-temperature lithium iron phosphate battery charge-discharge performance curves
Low-temperature discharge performance diagram of lithium iron phosphate battery
Discharging at a 1C rate under different low-temperature environments, specifically at -40/-30/-20/-10/0℃, yielded discharge efficiencies of 62%, 74%, 81%, 92%, and 95%, respectively, maintaining a high overall discharge efficiency.
Developing low-temperature batteries specifically designed for operation in low-temperature environments, which can effectively release most of the original battery capacity even without an external insulation system, is undoubtedly the best solution for low-temperature battery protection.
Additional knowledge on battery applications:
Whether it's a low-temperature battery or a regular battery, when using it under high current conditions, it's recommended to run it under low current conditions first to preheat the battery before it's actually used. This is the best way to extend the battery's lifespan.
