A battery is an important component of machinery. A healthy battery guarantees the long-running life of one’s machinery.
Lithium iron phosphate battery also called LFP battery is a battery having LiFePO4 as a cathode. It is one of the safest batteries which are very popular nowadays. These are easily packed into any battery owing to their high density. It is increasingly used in different types of cars, buses, and other electric vehicles. They have also been found in flashlights and other electric equipment. They are very easy to maintain, have a long life, and are very safe to use. They have a large number of charging cycles and can provide a constant voltage.
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If you are thinking about buying one of these batteries then this blog will guide you at every step of making your choice. In this guide, the useful features of these batteries will be discussed. Different factors that are important in deciding which battery to buy will be enlisted in this blog. This reading guide will tell you all about LFP batteries.
Now let’s read about these useful batteries!
It is a kind of rechargeable lithium-ion battery, has a fast charging and discharging cycle in comparison with other batteries. LiFePO4 is a naturally occurring mineral belonging to the family olivine. It is a safe alternative to a lead-acid battery because it has a four times higher density than lead-acid batteries. These have a faster-charging cycle than lead-acid batteries and are safe to use. Because of their lightweight, these LiFePO4 batteries consume less fuel.
These batteries have several important features such as
They have a battery management system (BMS) for the protection of the battery if it is overcharged or has deep drainage.
They can operate in different temperature settings.
They have greater than 10 years of lifetime.
They have high ampere capacity.
These are equipped with a removable handle for carrying the battery.
These portable batteries do not cause environmental contamination.
These rechargeable batteries do not need excessive maintenance.
A battery is composed of an anode, cathode, and electrolyte which separate both the electrodes.
In lithium iron phosphate batteries cathode is formed of 90% LiFePO4, 5% carbon and 5% polyvinylidene fluoride. The core of this electrode is made up of aluminum foil. The size of the cathode is about 1.54 cm2
The anode is made up of graphite and the core is made up of copper foil. Sometimes anode in an LFP battery is composed of hard carbon that has intercalated lithium. The electrolyte in these batteries is made up of a solution of lithium salts. These salts are dissolved in the solvents like dimethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate. Having electrolytes of lithium salts ensures that the electrolyte will contain lithium ions.
In lithium iron phosphate battery anode and cathode are separated from one another using a polymer diaphragm while electrolyte is enclosed in a metal structure.
Purchasing a lithium iron phosphate battery is very beneficial for one’s business and machinery. These batteries have many pros. Some of the advantages of these batteries are given below:
Life Cycle
Efficiency and performance are the major factors that help in the selection of a good battery. LFP batteries have huge charging lives. They have a low self-discharge rate, are lightweight than lithium-ion batteries. That makes them a better option than lithium-ion batteries. Also, these batteries have five to ten years longer life than lead-acid batteries.
Charging Time
If you are looking for a battery that charges faster then go for an lithium iron phosphate battery. lithium iron phosphate batteries charge quickly than other batteries.
Occupy Less Space
LFP batteries are light in weight than other batteries. They are about one-third in weight of lead-acid batteries. Due to this, they occupy less space in the machinery or vehicle.
Safety
The cells in lithium iron phosphate batteries do not get inflamed. This is an important feature in preventing accidents on misuse of these batteries. If they are subjected to short-circuit or dangerous electric shocks these batteries do not ignite or blow up.
Stability
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are extremely stable because of their composition. They are made up of stable electrolytes and electrodes. These electrolytes and electrodes do not corrode easily.
Environment Friendly
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are made up of environment-friendly substances. These are non-hazardous and non-polluting minerals. Moreover, these batteries are easily disposed of upon use and failure.
Long-term Storage
Lithium iron phosphate batteries can be stored for a long time because they have a low rate of self-discharge.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are extremely popular in the modern technological world. These are used in different fields like transportation, solar panels, gadgets, home power storage, flashlight, etc. Transportation The use of lithium iron phosphate batteries is widespread in the transportation sector due to their lightweight and large lifetime. These batteries also provide acceleration to different kinds of vehicles because of their increased discharge cycles. These portable batteries are used in heavy-duty bicycles, electric cars, and buses. Tractors, boats, and hybrid vehicles also used these rechargeable batteries. Home Power Storage The lithium iron phosphate batteries are safe and can withstand harsh conditions. They do not catch fire upon short circuits because of these features, they are used in home energy storage devices such as inverters, AC coupled systems, hybrid converters, etc. Solar Power Panels Lithium iron phosphate batteries have high voltage capacity that is why they are used in solar panels. They are easily connected to the photovoltaic cells as they have moderate tolerance to overcharging. LFP batteries are used in solar lamps and solar-based protection systems. Technology As these batteries have low density so they are easy to carry. They are used in different types of gadgets. These portable batteries have found their way into robotics, laptops, and cell phones. These batteries are also used in E-cigarettes, flashlights, and radios.
The working principle of the lithium iron phosphate battery involves the movement of lithium ions through the electrolyte. These ions passed across the polymer separator. When the battery is in the use, lithium ions from the anode go to the cathode and are collected at the cathode. This results in the production of free electrodes at the anode and also in the creation of charge at the current collector.
The electric current then passes from the current collector and goes to the device or machinery which consumes this electric current. After that, the electric current flows to a negative current collector. The separates prevent the movement of electrons within the battery. Charging/Discharging of Battery
In discharging mode, the battery is producing an electric current which is used to power a vehicle or device. The anode passes lithium ions to the cathode leading to the generation of electrons at the anode.
These electrons flow across the other side to the cathode. All lithium ions are intercalated at the cathode in full discharge.
When you charge your device, the opposite movement of lithium ions occurs. Oxidation reaction takes place at the cathode. It releases its electrons and to balance the charge, the lithium ions go from cathode to anode.
Lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate both are made up of same key element lithium-ion, but there are major differences between these two batteries.
Some of the differences are given below:
Energy Level
Lithium-ion batteries are used in power-consuming gadgets which drain a lot of batteries while the discharge rate of lithium iron phosphate batteries is high but their capacity is low.
Long Term Storage
If you want to store an unused battery then select that battery that does not consume a lot of charge in storage. Lithium iron phosphate battery can be stored for a long time because of its large shelf life which is around 350 days. The lithium-ion battery has a small shelf life which is about 300 days. So its storage time is less than the LFP battery.
Energy Density
The lithium-ion battery has a high energy density of 150-200 Wh/kg while the lithium iron phosphate battery has a low energy density around 90-120 Wh/kg.
Life Cycle
The lithium-ion battery has a small number of life cycles about 500-1,000 cycles while the LiFePO4 battery has a large number of life cycles around 1,000-10,000 life cycles.
Temperature
Lithium iron phosphate battery can withstand high temperature with minimal effect on its electrodes but lithium-ion battery cannot endure high temperature. If this battery is exposed to high temperatures then internal electrodes will get damaged.
Stability
Lithium iron phosphate battery is thermally and chemically more stable than the lithium-ion battery.
Lithium iron phosphate battery does not get inflamed easily on rapid charging and discharging. Lithium-ion battery heats up more quickly due to its high density. You must charge the batteries before connecting them. Batteries are charged about 50% when they are transported.
Following charging precautionary measures should be taken for using the battery.
Series Connected Battery
When you connect batteries in the series and charge them, the voltage of batteries that have the highest charge will rapidly increase and reach a full charge state. The other batteries that had the lowest charge will fall behind.
This causes the overcharging of the batteries and BMS will stop the charging process. It is advised that you should charge all the new batteries before connecting them in a series or series-parallel arrangement.
To prevent overcharging, you should charge the batteries with a voltage of 14V at a low rate.
Parallel Connected Battery
In parallel-connected batteries, it is possible to charge the batteries at the same time but you should charge them at a low rate. These batteries should be protected by the fuse.
Following are the operating parameters of a lithium iron phosphate battery:
These solar batteries have charging temperatures around 0°C to 45 °C.
The discharging and operating temperature of these batteries are in the range of -20°C to 65°C.
The charging voltage range of these portable batteries is 14.4-14.6V.
The range of over-voltage tripping is 15.6 (± 0.2).
The self-charge rate of these batteries is <3% per month if they have stored at 50% SOC.
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Following steps should be taken for the installation of lithium iron phosphate battery.
When installing these batteries, first ascertain that they are in the upright position.
You should not reverse the polarity of the battery as it can get damaged.
Check the size of the battery cable before installation.
You must not connect the positive and negative ends of the battery and with any other objects like wires.
To reduce the resistance between cable and DC terminal first, clean both of their ends.
These batteries should always be installed indoors and out of sunlight.
A maximum of four LFP batteries of 12 Volts is connected in the series.
The maximum number of 12 Volt LFP batteries that are connected in parallel is 2.
You should not connect different kinds of batteries old and new in the series and parallel.
Maintenance is very important in ensuring that lithium iron phosphate batteries have a long life. It is essential in preventing accidents as well.
Following steps should be taken to properly maintain these batteries.
Regularly check the battery for any damage.
Properly clean the cables and ends of the battery to prevent a build-up of dust and corrosion.
Regularly check the battery for any kind of deformity or physical change.
Examine the insulation of cable on regular basis.
Always use dust-free and dry fabrics for cleaning.
Preferably LFP batteries should be placed at temperate environmental temperature.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries lose their charging capacity over time so it is necessary to check the charging abilities of these batteries.
To test the lithium iron phosphate batteries you should follow these steps.
1.First, disconnect your LFP battery. This battery is attached to a charging device. LFP battery is found in the back of devices such as cell phones. You should consult the manufacturer's manual to take the battery out of the device.
2.Start the voltage meter.
3.Program the voltage setting on the meter.
4.Find the positive and negative ends of the battery. These ends are marked with positive and negative signs.
5.Place the matching cables of the volt meter to your battery’s positive and negative terminals. The value of voltage will be displayed on the screen of the voltage meter.
6.Match this value with the charge given in the battery manual.
Everything in this world has its pros and cons. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are no exception to this rule. But a number of their disadvantages is far less than their advantages.
A few of the disadvantages of these rechargeable batteries are given below:
Energy Density
These lithium iron phosphate batteries have less energy density than other batteries. The highest capacity of these LFP batteries is around 1800mAh while the highest ampere capacity of lithium-ion batteries is about 3600mAh.
Expensive
The manufacturing and production cost of lithium iron phosphate batteries are tremendously high. LiFePO4 battery yield is less. The carbon coating of LiFePO4 increases the performance of these batteries but also increases the synthesis cost of the materials and affects the efficiency of the electrodes.
Inconsistent Product
The production of lithium iron phosphate is a complex and multiphase reaction so it is difficult to maintain the product consistency.
Tap Energy
These batteries have reduced tap energy which makes them unsuitable for small gadgets like mobiles. These batteries are used to power large machinery such as electric cars.
Overcharging Protection
Lithium iron phosphate batteries cannot withstand extreme charging and discharging. So they need protection from overcharging. They generally have BMS that provides overcharging protection.
Safety always comes first. You must practice safety measures when installing and operating the lithium iron phosphate battery. These measures are means to prevent accidents.
Some of the safety guidelines are provided below:
LFP battery must be operated and maintained by properly trained personnel.
Take off watches, jewelry, pen, etc before operating the battery.
Always wear protective gear like gloves and goggles while working on the LiFePO4 battery.
Smoking must be avoided near the battery.
Do not expose the battery to high temperatures, direct sunlight, and water.
Do not take apart this battery as the electrolyte is extremely caustic.
If you come in contact with battery powder then instantly wash the exposed area with a large amount of water.
Do not place any kind of tool on the battery as the ends of the battery are live.
The battery should not be discharged to full capacity as it can be dangerous.
If you want to have your LiFePO4 batteries long lives then follow these steps.
Prolong Charging Time
The battery will have small life if its electrodes are continuously facing wear and tear. If you charge your battery slowly, it will face less stress. Charging the battery faster will also deteriorate its BMS quickly.
Unplugging of Charger
Remove the battery from the charger once it is finished charging. If the electrodes are chemically active this will cause a wearing away of the battery.
Examine Battery Regularly
If you have stored the battery then check on it once in a while. LFP cells do not consume charge but their BMS does. This can result in an imbalance of charge which leads to reduced battery life.
Avoid Storage of Fully Charge Battery
First, run down the battery and reduce its charge then store it. You should always empty the battery of 2/3 of its charge. A fully charge LFP battery deteriorates more quickly as its electrodes are chemically more reactive.
If you are facing some problems with lithium iron phosphate batteries then you don’t fear some problems and their solutions are given below.
Battery Current Gets Low During Charging Sometimes when the battery is charging its current gets too low.
Potential Reasons
The voltage of the charger is very high.
The battery is imbalanced. The voltage of internal cells is not in the range.
The battery is either too hot or too cold. Remedies
Use a voltage meter to ensure the voltage of the charger is 14.6 or less.
Check the ambient temperature of the battery and make sure that it is in a proper range.
Apply 14-volt charge for 12V LFP battery for 48 hours to balance the voltage of all the internal cells.
Battery Current Gets low during Discharging Sometimes it is seen that during discharging of battery the current goes to zero. Potential Reasons
The battery is overheating or is too cold.
Inverter voltage is too low.
The voltage of internal cells is not up to the standard. Remedies
Disconnect the inverter and ensure that its voltage is in the correct setting for the battery. Check the temperature of the battery and make certain that the environmental temperature is in the acceptable operating range.
Connect the battery at the constant voltage for 48 hours to balance the cells.
Charger Disengage on the Start of Charging Sometimes voltage exceeds the charger current limit and the charger stops working. Potential Reasons
A very high voltage of the charger.
The voltage of battery internals cells is not in the proper range. Remedies
Ascertain the voltage of the charger is in the acceptable range by using a voltage meter.
Apply constant voltage to a battery so that the voltage of internal cells is balanced.
The voltage at Terminals of Battery is Absent No voltage is detected at the ends of the battery. Potential Reasons
Microprocessor under-voltage protection is initiated because voltage inside the cells is d down below 2 volts.
The under-voltage safety feature is enabled due to a decrease in the battery’s state of charge.
Overheating protection of the battery is enabled due to high ambient temperature. Remedies
First, cool down the temperature of the battery to normal range and then again check the terminal voltage.
Plug the battery to start it and regain the terminal voltage.
Try to balance the battery by connecting it with constant voltage.
Battery Expansion Sometimes you will see that there is an increase in the size of the battery. Potential Reasons Overcharging of the battery causes the deterioration of electrolytes leading to increased pressure inside the battery. Remedies Do not charge the battery for more than 12 hours.
All the rechargeable batteries have a limited charge time. The same is the case with LFP batteries, they can only sustain a small amount of energy after they are charged several times.
If a battery gives you limited power then it is either dead after having charged many times or it is defective.
You can fill the battery even it is used for a short time but only fast recharging can affect the battery. It is suggested that you should not overcharge the battery.
There are several ways to check whether the battery has reached its ending time or not. These steps are as follows:
1.You should extract the battery from its pack then put this battery on the voltage meter. Measure the voltage and place the battery within the pack.
2.Secondly, if the battery is dead then it will not charge any longer.
3.The battery bloated a little bit if it is at its end.
4.The temperature of the battery will rise quickly if it is about to die.
5.If the battery loses its charge quickly then this indicates the battery is at the end.
6.Usually, the battery is charged in a specific time duration. If the battery takes a long time to charge then it is at the ending stages.
LiFePO4 batteries are rechargeable batteries that are used in high power devices such as solar panels, electric cars, and others. These batteries are highly recommended because have many useful aspects such as their lightweight, long lifetime, and faster-charging rates.
The industry of these batteries is continuously growing and evolving. The manufacturers of these batteries are investing in the research and development of these batteries.
The development of LFP batteries is dependent upon government efforts. Many governments like Japan, South Korea, and China are giving lucrative incentives to companies for improvement in LFP battery technology. So companies in these countries are improving their products. China is leading the LFP market due to its steady design and employing the LFP battery in various applications.
Currently, there is huge competition in the LFP market. People prefer those LFP batteries that have reasonable prices, are of high quality and are highly robust and reliable. A cost-effective manufacturing process will ensure the use of LiFePO4 batteries in diverse applications and advancement in these batteries will allow them to prosper among other batteries.
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