Battery capacity drop during operation
¹Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Kamycka 129, CZ165 21 Prague 6 ˗ Suchdol, Czech Republic
²Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electrotechnology, Technicka 2, CZ166 27 Pague 6, Czech Republic
*Correspondence: papezovas@tf.czu.cz
Abstract:
A lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery is nowadays considered one of the best types of batteries. The paper deals with the evaluation of the drop in their capacity during operation. Based on the physical analysis of charging and discharging processes, a mathematical model of the battery capacity has been developed during its lifetime. The decrease in capacity during battery operation is evaluated according to the loss of active material, which gradually diminishes due to a number of different processes. The analysis of the loss of the active material is carried out, in particular, according to the depth of discharge, battery temperature, charging and discharging time, including the time when the battery is out of service. The tests were performed on the Winston Battery, Calb, Thunder Sky and Sinopoly batteries by cyclic discharging and charging at the 50%, 90% or 100% depth of discharge. Their real parameters were determined, compared to the model parameters and the parameters specified by the manufacturers and suppliers. Two automated systems were used for testing. During the test, in the tested battery with several cells, charging and discharging by a constant current were carried out automatically. Operating parameters of the tested battery were continuously scanned, recorded and evaluated by the control computer. The capacity curves during the battery operation, determined by the type of models, were compared with the results of long-term real battery tests.
Key words:
capacity drop, depth of discharge, LiFePO4 battery, lifespan