Battery Power Online | Articles

New Technology Enables Next-Gen Portable Battery Operated IOT Devices

Editorial Staff February 1, 2018

Commentary contributed by Anton Beck, Battery Product Manager, Epec Engineered Technologies

February 1, 2018 | The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a buzzword of sorts. However, it is one that describes devices, appliances, vehicles and other products that are network connected so that they can exchange data with one another or with a central communications device. Some common devices include smart thermostats, wearable step counters, and certain wireless home speaker systems. Each “thing” operates independently, such as a garage door opener which works to open and close the garage door–however, it also interoperates with the Internet infrastructure, such as by this same opening device allowing you to control the opening and closing from miles away instead of using the standard opener from the end of your driveway. According to IHS Markit, experts estimate that the Internet of Things will include around 30.7 billion objects by the year 2020. Read more about New Technology Enables Next-Gen Portable Battery Operated IOT Devices …

2018 CEO Forecast with Patrick Trippel at Inventus Power

Editorial Staff December 20, 2017

Part of the Battery Power 2018 Trends to Watch Series

Commentary contributed by Patrick Trippel, CEO, Inventus Power

There has been a sea change in the battery industry in the last year, and since we expect these changes to extend into 2018 and beyond, I have begun to think of this as the beginning of a new era. The last fifteen years have shown how readily our world can adopt new mobile technologies. Read more about 2018 CEO Forecast with Patrick Trippel at Inventus Power …

Microgrids to Provide Energy Resiliency Beyond Transmission Lines

Editorial Staff December 12, 2017

Part of the Battery Power 2018 Trends to Watch Series Commentary contributed by Catherine Von Burg, CEO and President, SimpliPhi Every day, billions of people…

How Smart is Your Battery Charging?

Editorial Staff December 5, 2017

Commentary contributed by Michele Windsor, Global Marketing Manager, Accutronics

In 1841, humans could expect to live to the ripe old age of 42 on average, depending on their gender. With significant improvements to medical knowledge and advancements in technology, this has now doubled and medical device manufacturers are under intense pressures to develop products for the aging population at a low cost, without jeopardizing quality. Read more about How Smart is Your Battery Charging? …

Ultra-Fast Charging: Can It Play a Role in the EV Revolution?

Editorial Staff November 29, 2017

Contributed commentary by Stephen Voller, CEO and Founder, ZapGo Ltd.

Several nations, including England and China, have publicized plans to phase out traditional gas-powered vehicles in favor of electric vehicles (EVs). This has spurred debate over the technical challenges of scaling-up existing EV infrastructure and offering quick recharging for EV owners. New technology already offers ultra-fast charging for small electric vehicles and could sharply reduce EV recharging times in the future. Read more about Ultra-Fast Charging: Can It Play a Role in the EV Revolution? …

How to Charge Li-Ion with a Parasitic Load

Editorial Staff November 10, 2017

Contributed commentary by Isidor Buchmann, CEO & Founder, Cadex Electronics Inc.

Charging a battery is simple but the complexity rises when a parasitic load is present during charge. Depending on battery chemistry, the charge process goes through several stages, and with lithium-ion Stage 1 consists of a constant current (CC) charge that brings the battery to roughly 70 percent state-of-charge (SoC). The cell reaches 4.20V/cell, a common voltage limit for Li-ion, after which Stage 2 continues by applying a constant voltage (CV) charge. The current begins to drop as the battery saturates. Full-charge is reached when the current decreases to typically 0.05C, which is one-twentieth of the rated ampere-hour. Li-ion cannot absorb overcharge and no charge is applied in Stage 3. Figure 1 illustrates typical voltage, current and capacity signatures of the CCCV charge. Read more about How to Charge Li-Ion with a Parasitic Load …

Transparent Processes from the Powder to the Cell

Editorial Staff November 6, 2017

Contributed Commentary by Maximilian Sackerer, Senior Business Consultant for Battery and Fuel Cell Manufacturing, Siemens AG

Powerful lithium-ion batteries are a key component both in electric vehicles and for the decentralized storage of electricity from renewable energy sources. Acceptance by car drivers depends on the capacity, safety, durability, and costs of the batteries and this, in turn, will determine the future of electric mobility. All these properties have to be brought up to a worldwide competitive level in the mass production of lithium-ion cells, and continuously improved. Read more about Transparent Processes from the Powder to the Cell …