Californians do not purchase electric vehicles because they are cool, they buy EVs because they live in a warm climate. Conventional lithium-ion batteries cannot be rapidly charged at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but now a team of Penn State engineers has created a battery that can self-heat, allowing rapid charging regardless of the outside chill.
“Electric vehicles are popular on the west coast because the weather is conducive,” said Xiao-Guang Yang, assistant research professor in mechanical engineering, Penn State. “Once you move them to the east coast or Canada, then there is a tremendous issue. We demonstrated that the batteries can be rapidly charged independently of outside temperature.”
When owners can recharge car batteries in 15 minutes at a charging station, electric vehicle refueling becomes nearly equivalent to gasoline refueling in the time it takes. Assuming that charging stations are liberally placed, drivers can lose their “range anxiety” and drive long distances without worries.
Previously, the researchers developed a battery that could self-heat to avoid below-freezing power drain. Now, the same principle is being applied to batteries to allow 15-minute rapid charging at all temperatures, even as low as minus 45 degrees F.
The self-heating battery uses a thin nickel foil with one end attached to the negative terminal and the other extending outside the cell to create a third terminal. A temperature sensor attached to a switch causes electrons to flow through the nickel foil to complete the circuit when the temperature is below room temperature. This rapidly heats up the nickel foil through resistance heating and warms the inside of the battery. Once the battery’s internal temperature is above room temperature, the switch turns opens and the electric current flows into the battery to rapidly charge it.
“One unique feature of our cell is that it will do the heating and then switch to charging automatically,” said Chao-Yang Wang, Chao-Yang Wang, William E. Diefenderfer Chair of mechanical engineering, professor of chemical engineering and professor of materials science and engineering, and director of the Electrochemical Engine Center. “Also, the stations already out there do not have to be changed. Control off heating and charging is within the battery, not the chargers.”
The researchers report the results of their prototype testing in this week’s edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They found that their self-heating battery could withstand 4,500 cycles of 15-minute charging at 32 degrees F with only a 20-percent capacity loss. This provides approximately 280,000 miles of driving and a lifetime of 12.5 years, longer than most warranties.
A conventional battery tested under the same conditions lost 20-percent capacity in 50 charging cycles.
Lithium-ion batteries degrade when rapidly charged under 50 degrees F because, rather than the lithium ions smoothly integrating with the carbon anodes, the lithium deposits in spikes on the anode surface. This lithium plating reduces cell capacity, but also can cause electrical spikes and unsafe battery conditions. Currently, long, slow charging is the only way to avoid lithium plating under 50 degrees F.
Batteries heated above the lithium plating threshold, whether by ambient temperature or by internal heating, will not exhibit lithium plating and will not lose capacity.
“This ubiquitous fast-charging method will also allow manufacturers to use smaller batteries that are lighter and also safer in a vehicle,” said Wang.
Learn more:Â Self-heating, fast-charging battery makes electric vehicles climate-immune
The Latest on: Fast-charging battery
[google_news title=”” keyword=”fast-charging battery” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Fast-charging battery
- Surprise! Your iPhone 12 got an upgrade to 15W magnetic charging with Qi2on March 28, 2024 at 3:52 am
Although it hasn’t officially been announced by Apple, iOS 17.4 appears to have unlocked Qi2 support for the iPhone 12. A series of tests and feedback from Macworld readers prove that the iPhone 12 ...
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Flip 6 may offer 25W fast charging speedon March 28, 2024 at 3:30 am
Samsung to launch Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 soon with 25W fast charging. July launch expected. Details on battery capacity, camera setup, An ...
- Best Fast Charging Phones (March 2024) in Indiaon March 27, 2024 at 5:01 pm
There have historically been few advancements in the realm of battery life, but to compensate, smartphone manufacturers have developed lightning-fast charging methods that guarantee your device ...
- Fast wireless EV charging? It’s coming.on March 27, 2024 at 2:17 am
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory says wireless charging will be getting faster, but how far away and how fast could it charge?
- How long does it take to charge an electric car?on March 25, 2024 at 1:50 pm
How long does it take to charge an electric car? The answer, frustrating as it might be, is that it depends. Charging speeds depend on the charger, the vehicle, and even the weather.
- CATL Working With Tesla on Fast-Charging Cells, Supplying Nevadaon March 25, 2024 at 12:20 am
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. is working on faster charging batteries for Tesla Inc. as Elon Musk’s automaker seeks to defend its market share and roll out an electric car for under $25,000 ...
- Belkin’s fast-charging Apple Watch power bank is down to its best price yeton March 23, 2024 at 2:01 pm
Right now, for example, you can snag Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro power bank at Amazon and B&H Photo for $79.99 ($20 off), an all-time low. When my colleague Victoria Song waxed poetic about the ...
- Fast-charging lithium-sulphur batteries on the horizonon March 21, 2024 at 8:18 pm
New research shows that the next generation of lithium-sulphur (Li||S) batteries may be capable of being charged in less than five minutes, instead of several hours as is currently the case.
- What is Samsung Super Fast Charging?on March 21, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The Galaxy S10 5G from 2019 was Samsung’s first smartphone to offer Super Fast Charging, with support for up to 25W of power. The company one-upped itself a few months later with the Galaxy Note ...
via Bing News