A new development, Stanford University researchers have developed a new technique for lithium-ion battery packs to last longer and undergo less degradation from fast charging.
The finding is published in the Nov 5 edition of IEEE. The research reveals how actively observing the volume of electrical current that flows into each cell in a pack can minimize wear and tear. The technique allows each cell to live its best and maximum life.
Initial simulations suggest managing batteries with the new technology could tackle at least 20% more charge-discharge series, even with frequent rapid charging, which puts an added burden on the battery, stated the senior author of the research.
Meanwhile, earlier efforts to increase electric car battery life have focused on improving the design, materials, and fabrication of single cells, based on the assumption that, like links in a chain, a battery pack is only as useful as its weakest cell. The new study commences with an understanding that while weak links are expected, they need not be the reason to bring down the whole pack. The key is to customize charging rates to the unique capacity of each cell to keep failure at bay.
If not properly handled, cell-to-cell heterogeneity can affect the longevity, health, and battery pack and trigger an early battery pack malfunction, stated the lead author.
This approach equally divides the energy in each cell in the pack, to bring all cells to the final aimed state of charge in a balanced way and improve the life of the pack.
A part of the stimulus for the new research goes back to an announcement by Tesla in 2020. This would be a battery capacity to provide power to a car for 1 million miles or more
