Battery energy densityis the amount of energy a battery contains compared to its weight or size. We call this the specific energy density when comparing to weight and volumetric energy density when comparing size.
For example, we measure a battery’s energy in watt-hours (watts per hour, the equivalent of using one watt for one hour). We can then divide a battery’s watt hours (wh) by its kilograms (weight) or volume (liters).
Therefore, the length of time a battery can power a device compared to its weight or size equals the energy density.
Why Does Battery Energy Density Matter?
Battery energy density is crucial because the higher the energy density, the longer the battery can emit a charge in relation to its size. That being said, high energy density batteries can be useful when there isn’t much room for a battery but you need a lot of energy output. Smartphones and other handheld devices are great examples of this.
Let’s pose the benefits of energy density as a question: Would you rather have a small, lightweight battery that emits power for long periods or a heavy battery that takes up a lot of space and only provides a small amount of energy?
In almost every caste, the former situation is more favorable, which is why high energy density is vital in our world.
Energy Density vs. Power Density in Batteries
It’s easy to confuseenergy density and power densitybecause they’re similar in certain ways. They both measure an electrical characteristic of a battery in comparison to its weight.
Nevertheless, energy density and power density differ in one important way: while battery energy density measures the watt hours (wh) per kilogram (kg), power density measures the watt output per kilogram.
This is where power vs. energy comes into play. Power density measures how fast energy can be delivered, while energy density measures how much energy a battery holds.
What Are the Benefits of Using Batteries with High Energy Density?
Batteries with high energy density have transformed the mobile world. With more energy, we can fit useful batteries in smaller spaces. This enables long-lasting phones, laptops, earbuds, or medical devices.
They’re also very lightweight compared to past alternatives. Could you imagine carrying around a 5 lb iPhone? Or a 10 lb tablet?
More energy density also means we can pack a lot of energy into larger mobile devices like cars, planes, construction equipment, and robots.
What Are the Risks of High Energy Density?
When a battery packs more energy in it, it has more energy to release if something goes wrong.
The liquid electrolytes found in lithium-ion batteries arehighly volatileand can lead to combustion, presenting a fire hazard. Because of this, there are safety features built into these batteries, limiting how lightweight and compact they can be.
Therefore, the higher the energy density of a battery, the more dangerous it can be, which poses limitations (and risks) to further advancement.
What Battery Currently Has the Highest Energy Density?
Hands down, lithium-ion batteries take the cake when it comes to high energy density. They’ve transformed our world with advancements in energy consumption and portability. In fact, lithium-ion batteries’ energy density ranges between 260-270 wh/kg, while lead-acid batteries range from 50-100 wh/kg.
There have been many advancements in lithium-ion batteries over the last decade, specifically involving their chemistry. By using different materials for the anode and cathodes, engineers can experiment with electrochemistry and alter the energy density, power density, and more.
Thelithium-ion battery with the highest energy density is the lithium cobalt-oxide battery. It uses cobalt oxide as the cathode and graphite carbon as the anode. Because of its high energy density, it’s popular for smartphones, laptops, watches, cars, and any compact device that needs to emit power over long periods.
→ Suggested Reading: Anode vs. Cathode: What’s the Difference?
Overcoming Limits: Solid-State Batteries
So if we’re reaching our limits in lithium-ion battery advancements, where do we go from here? The future of battery technology lies in solid-state batteries.
Remember how lithium-ion batteries have a liquid electrolyte solution?The liquid state of this solution is a fundamental problem. It’s unstable, volatile when exposed to oxygen, and can be a considerable safety risk. It also limits advancements in size and energy density because of these safety concerns.
Well,solid-state batterieseliminate these issues. The electrolyte is a solid rather than a liquid in these batteries and thus has a higher energy density (2.5 times more) than current lithium-ion batteries. They also have faster charging times and fewer safety concerns, making the batteries smaller and more compact.
While solid-state batteries aren’t readily available yet, they might revolutionize our world once again.
That’s Why It Matters
A battery’s energy density is critical when it comes to its size, how long it can power your device, and even the safety of your battery. In fact, it’s been a leading topic of battery advancement and the reason lithium-ion batteries are so popular.
Chemists and engineers are constantly striving to create safe, durable batteries with a high energy density and we might find that perfect solution in the chemistry of solid-state batteries. The future is ripe for new innovations in lithium batteries.Here atDragonfly Energy, we’re revolutionizing not only advances in solid-state batteries, but also the manufacturing process.
Do you have any questions about energy density and the future of batteries? Leave them in the comments below!
FAQs
Why Does Energy Density Matter In Batteries? | Dragonfly Energy? ›
Why Does Battery Energy Density Matter? Battery energy density is crucial because the higher the energy density, the longer the battery can emit a charge in relation to its size.
What does energy density mean in batteries? ›Energy density is the measure of how much energy a battery contains in proportion to its weight. This measurement is typically presented in Watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). A watt-hour is a measure of electrical energy that is equivalent to the consumption of one watt for one hour.
What does the energy density of a battery depend on? ›The energy density of batteries depends on the technology used. Depending on the components and electrochemical reactions in question, we talk about lead, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion), lithium-polymer (Li-Pol), sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries...
What is the significance of energy density? ›In energy storage applications the energy density relates the energy in an energy store to the volume of the storage facility, e.g. the fuel tank. The higher the energy density of the fuel, the more energy may be stored or transported for the same amount of volume.
What is the difference between energy density and specific energy of a battery? ›Specific energy, energy density
Specific energy, or gravimetric energy density, defines battery capacity in weight (Wh/kg); energy density, or volumetric energy density, reflects volume in liters (Wh/l).
Amprius' commercially available batteries deliver up to 450 Wh/kg and 1,150 Wh/L, the industry's highest known energy density cells available on the market today.
What is the best battery power density? ›Argonne Distinguished Fellow Larry Curtiss says the lithium-air battery has the highest projected energy density of any battery technology being considered for the next generation of batteries beyond lithium-ion.
How do you increase the energy density of a battery? ›The specific energy density of the cell was enhanced by effectively increasing the amount of active material while maintaining the mass transfer capability of the ions at the target power. Variation of Li concentration in the solid phase of cathode for initial and optimized cells during 1C discharge.
What does a high energy density mean? ›If a system has a high energy density then it is able to store a lot of energy in a small amount of mass. A high energy density does not necessarily mean a high power density. An object with a high energy density, but low power density can perform work for a relatively long period of time.
Why is battery energy density so low? ›Design of flow battery
The energy density of a battery is limited by its open cycle potential, the concentration of active species, and the number of electrons transferred during discharge per mole of active species.
Which lithium-ion battery has the best energy density? ›
Lithium-cobalt enjoys the highest energy density. Manganese and phosphate systems are terminally more stable and deliver high load currents than cobalt. Battery experts agree that the longevity of lithium-ion is shortened by other factors than charge and discharge rates.
Is a higher or lower energy density better? ›Lower energy density foods provide less energy per gram of food – this means that you can have larger, more satisfying portions of these foods for fewer calories. Research suggests that people get full by the amount of food they eat, not the number of calories they take in.
What is the relationship between energy density and energy? ›Energy Density is defined as the total amount of energy in a system per unit volume. For example, the number of calories per gram of food. Foodstuffs that has low energy density provide less energy per gram of food which means that you can eat more of them since there are fewer calories. It is denoted by letter U.
What is the highest energy density lifepo4 battery? ›The energy density of an LFP battery is slightly lower than a lithium-ion battery. Their energy density falls between 90-165 Wh/kg.
What is the energy density of a Tesla battery? ›That battery is 100kWh and has an energy density of 200Wh/kg. At more than double the density, the implications for the new semi-solid state CATL technology goes far beyond making our electric cars go further.
What are the different types of energy density of a battery? ›The Energy density of a battery is generally expressed in two ways, in the form of gravimetric energy density and as volumetric energy density.
Why do solid-state batteries have higher energy density? ›Solid-state batteries have a higher energy density per unit area due to their compact size. The energy density of a solid-state battery can be up to ten times greater than that of a lithium-ion battery of the same size.
Do solid-state batteries have higher energy density? ›According to the latest studies, solid-state batteries have an energy density 2-2.5 times higher than current lithium-ion technology and this huge advantage would result in a lighter and smaller battery.
What is the energy density of NASA battery? ›Tesla's Model Y 4680 batteries are rated at a sub-300 Wh/kg energy density. In comparison, NASA's SABERS battery technology has far surpassed these figures, with an incredible energy density of 500 Wh/kg.
What is the highest energy density 18650 battery? ›In 2021, the company developed a 3.8 Ah cylindrical lithium-ion cell for the US Department of Defense, which the company claims is the world's most energy-dense 18650 cell. Soon to be in commercial production, the cell is designed to give military personnel more runtime for their electronic equipment.
What is a disadvantage of lithium-ion batteries? ›
Despite its overall advantages, lithium-ion has its drawbacks. It is fragile and requires a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. Built into each pack, the protection circuit limits the peak voltage of each cell during charge and prevents the cell voltage from dropping too low on discharge.
What is the difference between power battery and energy battery? ›Batteries store electrical energy. The more energy that is stored, the more work that can be done. Power, on the other hand, is how quickly the energy can be used. As an analogy, you can think of energy like water behind a dam of a hydroelectric plant (See Figure 1).
What is the longest lasting battery technology? ›Solid-state batteries are believed to last longer — with up to seven times more recharges during their lifetime, according to CAR Magazine. They're also believed to be safer, because the solid electrolyte material is fireproof, unlike lithium-ion batteries, which are known to pose a fire risk.
What is the most efficient battery technology? ›Lithium-Sulfur Battery
These batteries have an energy density several times higher than lithium-ion batteries. Li-S have specific energies on the order of 550 Wh/kg. Contrary to that, conventional lithium-ion batteries have a range of 150-260 Wh/kg.
These batteries are constructed in two different ways: spirally wound batteries, which offer a maximum service life of approximately 10 years; and bobbin-type cells, which are the only lithium batteries that can deliver 25+ years of service life.
Is low energy density good? ›Research has shown that low-energy-dense diets help people maintain satiety and control their hunger, while lowering their caloric intake. Data also indicates that people consuming a low-energy-dense diet eat a balanced diet higher in fiber, vitamin A and C and folate.
What happens to density when energy is increased? ›Heating a substance causes molecules to speed up and spread slightly further apart, occupying a larger volume that results in a decrease in density. Cooling a substance causes molecules to slow down and get slightly closer together, occupying a smaller volume that results in an increase in density.
Why lithium batteries have high energy density? ›The lithium ions are small enough to be able to move through a micro-permeable separator between the anode and cathode. In part because of lithium's small size (third only to hydrogen and helium), Li-ion batteries are capable of having a very high voltage and charge storage per unit mass and unit volume.
Which type of battery has lowest energy density? ›Among modern rechargeable batteries, the lead acid battery family has the lowest energy density, making it unsuitable for handheld devices that demand compact size. In addition, performance at low temperatures is poor. The SLA is rated at a 5-hour discharge or 0.2C.
What makes lithium batteries better? ›Compared with traditional battery technology, lithium-ion batteries charge faster, last longer, and have a higher power density for more battery life in a lighter package. When you know a little about how they work, they can work that much better for you.
How do you increase the energy density of a lithium-ion battery? ›
The energy density of lithium battery cells mainly depends on the breakthrough of the chemical system. 1. Increase the size of the electrical batteries: Electrical batteries manufacturers can increase the size of the original battery to achieve the effect of capacity expansion.
Do solid state batteries have higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries? ›A solid-state battery has higher energy density than a Li-ion battery that uses liquid electrolyte solution. It doesn't have a risk of explosion or fire, so there is no need to have components for safety, thus saving more space.
Do lithium-ion batteries have higher energy density than lead-acid batteries? ›Energy and Range
Comparing the two chemistries side-by-side, lithium ion achieves an energy density of 125-600+ Wh/L versus 50-90 Wh/L for lead acid batteries.
| EFS480-50EIIB | EFS480-100EIIB | |
|---|---|---|
| Size (W*D*H)(mm) | 600*550*2000 | 600*750*2000 |
| Weight (kg) | 335 | 555 |
| Charging Ambient Temperature | 0~55℃ | 0~55℃ |
| Discharging ambient temperature | -20~60℃ | -20~60℃ |
The energy density of a battery can be simply calculated using this formula: Nominal Battery Voltage (V) x Rated Battery Capacity (Ah) / Battery Weight (kg) = Specific Energy or Energy Density (Wh / kg).
What influences energy density? ›The main factors influencing ED are the fat and water content of foods. Energy density does elevate EI, especially in short-term studies where it can account for >40% of the variance in EI. In real life, ED accounts for only approximately 7% of the variance in EI.
What is the difference between high energy and high power batteries? ›Essentially, the main difference between energy density and power density is that batteries with a higher energy density will be able to store larger amounts of energy, while batteries with a higher power density will be able to release higher amounts of energy a lot quicker.
What is the theoretical energy density of LiFePO4 battery? ›| Specific energy | 90–160 Wh/kg (320–580 J/g or kJ/kg) |
|---|---|
| Energy density | 325 Wh/L (1200 kJ/L) |
| Specific power | around 200 W/kg |
| Energy/consumer-price | 1-4 Wh/US$ |
| Time durability | > 10 years |
A LiFePO4 battery uses the same constant current and constant voltage stages as the SLA battery. Even though these two stages are similar and perform the same function, the advantage of the LiFePO4 battery is that the rate of charge can be much higher, making the charge time much faster.
Is LiFePO4 heavier than lithium-ion? ›LiFePO4 battery banks may weigh slightly more than comparable Li-ion batteries, while some LFPs may be lighter because the metals used in their construction are lighter.
Is there a battery better than lithium-ion? ›
Sodium-ion batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries — currently the most widely used type of rechargeable battery. Both types of batteries use a liquid electrolyte to store and transfer electrical energy, but differ in the type of ions they use.
Where is lithium found in nature? ›Lithium does not occur as the metal in nature, but is found combined in small amounts in nearly all igneous rocks and in the waters of many mineral springs. Spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, and amblygonite are the more important minerals containing lithium.
What is considered high energy density? ›Foods with a higher energy density tend to include foods that are high in fat or sugars and have a low water content, for example biscuits, fried chips, fried chicken, fatty meats, sweet and savoury pastries, pies and cakes.
How can I increase the energy density of my battery? ›We can change the performance of electrical batteries by changing the ratio of the three elements of nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
Is high or low energy density better? ›Foods with a lower energy density provide fewer calories per gram than foods with a higher energy density. For the same amount of calories, a person can consume a larger portion of a food lower in energy density than a food higher in energy density.
Why is higher energy density better? ›Why Does Battery Energy Density Matter? Battery energy density is crucial because the higher the energy density, the longer the battery can emit a charge in relation to its size. That being said, high energy density batteries can be useful when there isn't much room for a battery but you need a lot of energy output.
Do you want high or low energy density? ›When you're striving for weight loss, one strategy is to eat low-energy-dense foods. That is, you want to eat a greater amount of food that contains less calories. This helps you feel fuller on fewer calories.
What is the most powerful battery in the world? ›The record-breaking Saft battery
The system can be expanded up to 40MW as needed. The battery's Guinness World Record was achieved during commissioning, when the BESS was discharged at the full overload capability of 46MW for five minutes, earning it the title of the World's Most Powerful Battery.
Energy Density is defined as the total amount of energy in a system per unit volume. For example, the number of calories per gram of food. Foodstuffs that has low energy density provide less energy per gram of food which means that you can eat more of them since there are fewer calories. It is denoted by letter U.
What will replace lithium-ion batteries? ›Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have developed an oxygen-ion battery based on ceramic materials that has a longer lifespan than lithium-ion batteries. The new battery can be regenerated and does not require rare elements, making it an ideal solution for large energy storage systems.