What Are The Types Of Batteries And Cells And Their Applications? . Batteries and cells are indispensable to modern life. They power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, facilitating convenience and innovation. In this article, we will explore the types of batteries and cells, their structures, applications, and the emerging trends in battery technology.
Batteries nowadays are one of the most important components of electronic appliances and are used in almost every portable electronic device. From Drones to phones, and tablets to automobile EVs, one common electronic component you find is the battery.
The current battery market reached around USD 113.4 billion. This market keeps increasing with the development of EVs and the expansion of portable electronics and wearable electronic devices.
Read More : Series and Parallel Connection of Batteries
General Chemistry of Battery:
A battery have three layers the cathode, anode and a separator. The negative layer of the battery is called as anode and the positive layer is called as cathode. When a load is attached with the battery the current starts flowing through the anode to cathode. Similarly, when we connect the battery charger the current starts flowing into the opposite direction i.e. cathode to anode.
Every battery work on a chemical reaction called oxidation-reduction reaction. The reaction take place in between the cathode and the anode via the separator (electrolyte).
In result, one electrode gets negatively charged due to oxidation reaction. And, that negatively charged electrode is called as cathode. The second electrode gets positively charged due to reduction reaction, which is further called as anode. When two different kind of metals are immersed in the same electrolyte solution, one of the electrode will gain electron and other will lose electron.
In result, one of the metals will lose electron and the other metal will gain electron. This difference in electron concentration of two metals cause an electrical potential difference between the metals. This potential difference can be used as source of voltage in any electrical device.
The ions flows through the separator only, it blocks all the movement from anode to cathode. Hence, the only way to get the current out is from the terminals of the battery.
Read More : Why Can’t We Store AC in Batteries Instead of DC?
Types of Batteries and Cells: Applications and Innovations
Different Types of Batteries
Batteries are commonly used in household devices as well as for industrial applications. Each battery is designed to fulfill a specified purpose and can be used according to the requirement. There are mainly two categories of battery called primary and secondary cells. However, batteries are classified into four broad categories namely primary cell, secondary cell, fuel cell and reserve cell. Below are the everything you need to know about the different types of batteries and their working.
Primary Battery
Non-rechargeable batteries also known as primary batteries or primary cell. Primary batteries are those which cannot be used again once their stored energy is being used fully. These batteries cannot restore energy by any external source. This is the reason primary cells are also called disposable batteries.
A major factor reducing the lifetime of primary batteries is that they become polarized during use. To extend the battery life by reducing the effect of polarization, chemical depolarization is used i.e. oxidizing the hydrogen to water by adding an oxidizing agent to the cell. Like as, in zinc-carbon cell and Leclanche cell Manganese dioxide is used, and in Bunsen cell and Grove cell nitric acid is used.
Applications of Primary Cells:
- They can be used in clock and toys
- It can be used in small household devices
- It can be used in personal computers
- It can be used in portable emergency lights and inverters
Read More : How to Wire Batteries in Series to a Solar Panel and UPS?
Types of Primary Battery
Alkaline Batteries:
This type of battery drives the energy by a reaction of zinc metal and manganese oxide and we named it an alkaline battery because instead of using an acidic electrolyte, we use an alkaline electrolyte like potassium hydroxide (KOH).
Advantages:
- More life
- Shelf life is more
- Small in size
- Highly efficient
- Low internal resistance so that discharge state in idle state is less
- Leakage is low
Types of Batteries and Cells: Applications and Innovations
Aluminum-Air Batteries:
This is the highest energy density battery and produces energy from the reaction of oxygen with aluminum. Once the aluminum is consumed and all aluminum gets reacted with air oxygen, we can’t use this battery further and we need to dispose of it after a single use.
Dry Cells:
This is another type of primary battery and most of us use it in our toys and TV remote control but these batteries are now getting replaced by alkaline batteries because of their high lifetime and energy density over the dry cells.
The dry cell is named after its electrolyte type as we use the dry electrolyte in it instead of liquid or wet electrolyte.
Read More : How Many Panels Batteries Charge Controller and Inverter Need ?
There are many other kinds of primary batteries as well but we mostly use mentioned above batteries.
Zinc-Carbon Battery
Zinc-carbon batteries are first commercial dry batteries which provide very low power and are also known as dry cell. A carbon rod is placed in the battery, which collects the current from the manganese dioxide electrode. It can give a 1.5Volts of DC supply. These types of batteries are used in Flashlight, radios, remote controls, and wall clocks.
Lithium Cells
Lithium cell batteries are comes in coin or button type design form. It provider higher voltage (3V) value than the zinc, alkaline and manganese batteries. Lithium cells are smaller in size and lighter in weight. The internal resistance of lithium cells are high and they are not rechargeable. The most popular coin cell used in number of electronics application is CR2032 which provides 3V output. Lithium cells have longer life span (around 10 years).
Silver Oxide Cells:
Silver oxide batteries are low power batteries with high capacity. They are similar in appearance to mercury cells and provides a higher emf of 1.5 volt. The cathode of the battery is made up of silver oxide. The electrolyte present inside the battery is made of potassium or sodium hydroxide. As silver is expensive, this battery has very limited applications.
Read More : Batteries in Series vs Parallel: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Configuration
The excellent features of silver oxide cells are:
- The unique sealing of the battery structure makes the battery highly leak-proof.
- Constant voltage output given by the battery makes it useful to get stable discharge
- The use of antioxidants contributes to the high energy density of the battery.
Applications of silver oxide cells:
- IOT based devices
- Electric watches
- Precision instruments
- Medical devices
Zinc Air Cells
A zinc air battery reaches full operating voltages within 5 mins right after un-sealing. These are primary batteries with rechargeable designs. The oxygen content in the air acts as the active mass of the battery. The cathode is a porous body made up of carbon with air access. The output voltage capability of the cell is 1.65 volts. While discharge, a mass of zinc particle forms a porous anode saturated with an electrolyte. The oxygen present in the air reacts with the hydroxyl ion and form zincate. This Zincate forms zinc oxide and water returns to the electrolyte.
Types of Batteries and Cells: Applications and Innovations
There are the following other kinds of primary batteries or you can say disposable single-cycle batteries.
- Lemon/potato battery
- Lithium battery
- Lithium-air battery
- Magnesium battery
- Mercury battery
- Molten salt battery
- Nickel oxyhydroxide battery
- Oxyride battery
- Organic radical battery
- Paper battery
- Pulvermacher’s chain
- Silver-oxide battery
- Solid-state battery
- Sugar battery
- Voltaic pile
- Penny battery
- Trough battery
- Water-activated battery
- Weston cell
- Zinc–air battery
- Zinc–carbon battery
- Zinc–chloride battery
- Zamboni pile
Read More : Unlocking the Science: Why Do Batteries Store Energy in the Form of Chemical Energy?
Battery Power Density Comparision Table
| Battery Type | Energy Density (Wh/kg) | Life Cycle | Toxicity |
| Li-Ion | 126-190 | 500-1,000 | Low |
| Ni-Cd | 45-80 | 1000 | High |
| Ni-MH | 100 | 300-500 | Low |
| Li-ion polymer | 185 | 300 – 500 | Low |
| Lead Acid | 30-50 | 200-300 | High |
| Lithium–Sulfur | 55 | 50-100 | Non- Toxic |
Secondary Battery
Rechargeable batteries are also known as secondary cell. It can be use again and again by plugging them into charge and get multiple uses before the battery needs to be replaced. The initial cost of rechargeable batteries is commonly more than disposable batteries, but the total cost of ownership and environmental impact of these batteries are lower because they can be recharged inexpensively many times before they need to replace it.
Applications of Secondary Cells:
- It can be used in fitness bands, smart watches.
- It can be used in military and submarines
- Cameras and artificial pacemakers
Types of Secondary Batteries
Li-Ion Batteries
This kind of battery uses Lithium metal so named Li-Ion battery. These batteries are composed of cells and lithium ions from the negative electrode move to the positive electrode and when we charge, the ions move back to their place; this cycle occurs in each charging and discharging process.
Read More : What Is the Difference Between AC and DC Motors?
The power density of Li-ion batteries is 126 Wh/Kg.
Li-Po Batteries
The Li-Po battery a.k.a. lithium polymer battery, we named polymer battery because it uses polymer electrolyte instead of liquid electrolyte. The high conductivity gel polymer form of electrolyte is used. These batteries carry high energy density compared to their weight.
These are mostly used in drones due to their lightweight and high density of energy. It has a Power density of 185 Wh/Kg.
Ni-MH Batteries
Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) battery uses nickel oxide hydroxide and they are quite similar to Nickel cadmium NiCd batteries but here they use a hydrogen-absorbing alloy instead of cadmium and have a lower impact on the environment compared to others.
Read More : How to Wire Analog and IP PTZ Cameras with DVR and NVR?
The power density of these batteries is 100 Wh/Kg.
Lead-acid Batteries
The lead acid battery has electrodes submerged in sulfuric acid electrolytes. These batteries are quite bulky and are mostly used in automobiles, UPS, Grid power stations, etc.
Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
Nickel Metal Hydride batteries are rechargeable batteries. The metal of the battery is inter-metallic. These types of batteries have good life and high current capability. It can store 100 watt-hour per kg. They are more thermally stable than the lithium ion batteries. The self-discharge is higher than the other batteries.
Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd)
In Nicker-Cadmium rechargeable battery, Nickel Oxide Hydroxide and Metallic Cadmium are used as electrode. It is also known as NiCd battery or NiCad Battery. Ni-Cd batteries are good to maintain the voltage and hold electric charge when not in use. A major drawback of Ni-Cd battery which may cause lowing the future capacity of battery is that if a partially charge battery is recharged, it may fall a victim of “Dreaded Memory Effect” (i.e. changes in the negative or cadmium plate e.g charging involves converting CD(OH) to Cd metal.) and voltage depression.
Read More : How to Install a CCTV Camera?
Nickel Cadmium are good to deliver the rated capacity at full discharge rate and has good life cycle at low temperature rate operations.
There are the following other kinds of secondary batteries-
- Aluminum-ion battery
- Calcium battery
- Flow battery
- Vanadium redox battery
- Zinc–bromine battery
- Zinc–cerium battery
- Lithium-ion lithium cobalt oxide battery (ICR)
- Lithium–silicon battery
- Lithium-ion manganese-oxide battery (LMO)
- Lithium-ion polymer battery (LiPo)
- Lithium–iron–phosphate battery (LFP)
- Lithium–nickel–manganese–cobalt oxides (NMC)
- Lithium–nickel–cobalt–aluminium oxides (NCA)
- Lithium-sulfur battery
- Lithium–titanate battery (LTO)
- Thin-film lithium-ion battery
- Lithium–ceramic battery[2][3]
- Rechargeable lithium–metal battery
- Magnesium-ion battery
- Metal–air electrochemical cells
- Lithium-air battery
- Aluminium–air battery
- Germanium–air battery
- Beryllium–air battery
- Molten-salt battery
- Microbial fuel cell
- Nickel-cadmium battery
- Nickel-cadmium battery vented cell type
- Nickel–hydrogen battery
- Nickel–iron battery
- Sand battery
- Silver–zinc battery
- Silver–calcium battery
- Silver–cadmium battery
- Sodium-ion battery
- Zinc-ion battery
read More : What Are the Different Colors Electrical Outlets Used For?
Difference Between Primary Cell and Secondary Cell
Primary cells are the ones which cannot be recharged and have to be discarded after the expiration of the lifetime whereas, secondary cells need to be recharged when the charge gets over. Both the types of battery are used extensively in various appliances and these cells differ in size and material used in them.
| Difference Between Primary Cell and Secondary Cell | |
|---|---|
| Primary Cell | Secondary Cell |
| Have high energy density and slow in discharge and easy to use | They have smaller energy density |
| There are no fluids in the cells hence it is also called as dry cells | These are made up of wet cells (flooded and liquid cells) and molten salt (liquid cells with different composition) |
| It has high internal resistance | It has a low internal resistance |
| It has an irreversible chemical reaction | It has a reversible chemical reaction |
| Its design is smaller and lighter | Its design is more complex and heavier |
| Its initial cost is cheap | Its initial cost is high |
After going through the above table, I hope you will now be able to figure out the pros and cons of the primary and secondary batteries.
Reserve cell
The reserve batteries or cell are also known as stand-by battery. The electrolyte remains inactive in solid state until the melting point is reached. As soon as the melting point is reached, ionic conduction begins and battery is activated.
Reserve cells are further classified into three categories:
- Water Activated Batteries
- Heat Activated Batteries
- Electrolyte Activated Batteries
- Gas Activated Batteries
Read More : Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs)
Applications of Reserve Batteries:
- It is used in devices used for sensing time and pressure
- They are largely used in weapon systems
- They are also used in car batteries and other vehicles
Fuel cell
In this class of batteries, active materials are fed from outside source. Fuel cells are capable of producing electrical energy as long as active materials are fed to the electrodes. The proton exchange membrane uses hydrogen and oxygen gas as fuel. The reaction takes place inside the cell and as the product of the reaction water, electricity and heat are produced. The four basic elements of the fuel cells are namely anode, cathode, electrolyte and catalyst.
Advantages of technology used behind the fuel cell:
- The process of converting chemical potential energy directly into electrical energy avoids the “thermal bottleneck”.
- Due to no moving parts in the cell, it is convenient and highly reliable
- Due to the production of hydrogen in environment friendly manner, this is comparatively less harmful for environments as compared to others.
Applications of fuel cell
- This is mainly used in transport like cars, buses and other motor vehicles.
- This is very often used as backup to produce electricity in case of power failure.
Advantage of Battery over other Power Sources
- Specific Energy Capacity: The energy storage capacity of battery is very less as compared to fossil fuel. However, batteries have the capacity of delivering energy more effectively as compared to thermal engine.
- Power bandwidth: Batteries are capable of handling small and large loads more effectively due to high power bandwidth.
- Responsiveness: Batteries are able to deliver power over short-notice. This means that warm up is not required as in case of combustion engines.
- Environment: The batteries are easy t use and stay reasonably cool. Most of the batteries don’t make noise as in case of other fuel-based engines.
- Installation: Nowadays, the sealed batteries can be operated in almost any position. They are good shock and vibration tolerance.
Read More : What is PNP Transistor?
Structure and Working of Batteries
A typical battery consists of three main components:
- Anode: The negative electrode, which releases electrons.
- Cathode: The positive electrode, which accepts electrons.
- Electrolyte: A medium facilitating ion movement between the electrodes.
When connected to a circuit, the electrochemical reaction generates an electric current.
Industrial Applications of Batteries
Batteries play a critical role in industrial sectors:
- Renewable Energy Storage: Essential for storing solar and wind energy.
- Backup Power Systems: Vital for data centers, hospitals, and manufacturing units to prevent disruptions.
Drawbacks of Batteries
- Charge Time: Once the batteries are primary batteries are discharged, it takes hours to get recharged again for use. This is not in case of using fuels which takes a few minutes.
- Operation cost: Price and weight of large batteries make it impractical for the reliable usage and large vehicles.
- Energy storage capacity: AS compared to fossil fuels, the energy storage capacity of batteries is low.
Choosing the Right Battery According to your Application?
It is quite important to choose the right battery for your application to avoid the damage of your device or application. Below are some of the considerations that should be kept in mind while choosing the right battery for your application.
Primary or secondary: This is the one of the most important factors in choosing the right battery type for your device. You can use the primary battery for occasional use and in disposable devices like toys etc. However, if you are using the device for long stretches of time then secondary or rechargeable batteries are more suitable.
Temperature range: Choosing a right battery with right temperature help you reduce the risk of thermal runaway. Lithium ion batteries can be charged within a narrow temperature range of 20 degree to 45 degree Celsius. Exploding of batteries may happens as a result of overcharging, high temperature charging or short circuit that eventually harm the device or application.
Durability: The durability of the battery largely depends on two factors namely charge life and total life. In addition, the physical factors of battery also contribute to the long life of battery.
Energy Density: The total amount of energy stored in the battery per unit volume is called as the energy density. It defines the stability of the battery that how long it run will till the next recharge
Safety: The battery you are choosing should be according to the operating temperature of it. Sometimes, the battery temperature exceeds and might damage components of the device. Also, if the device temperature exceeds the performance may get reduced.
The other factors include:
- cell chemistry
- transportation
- physical shape and size
- cost
- reliability
Read More : How to Test a Transistor Using a Multimeter (DMM + AVO)?
Electrical vehicle (EV) battery
Electrical vehicle batteries are designed to provide power over a sustained period of time. The factors that makes them different from the other batteries is ignition and lightning. The electrical vehicle batteries are increasing their share in market due to reliability and environment friendly nature.
The most common batteries in modern car are lithium ion and lithium polymer battery. The cells are installed in forms of modules. In other words, one form of battery is installed to make a pack. Let us take an example of BMW electric car, in which a total of 96 cells are installed. The number of cells put into a frame that protect the batteries from external heat and vibration. A combination of cells is called as module.
A number of such modules, a cooling pack and battery management system is combined together to form a pack.
The two main types of Lithium ion batteries used in the electrical vehicles are:
- Meta oxides
- Phosphate
In automotive applications like vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are safer in terms of chemical hazard and convenience.
Construction of EV Batteries
Currently, the electric cars are running on lithium batteries. The normal voltage of a lithium cell is 3.7 volt, but an EV (electrical vehicle) requires 300V. For achieving this voltage and current value lithium cells are combined into series and parallel. The combination of such lithium cells is known as module. The modules comes with a BMS (Battery management system) for their protection. Below is the picture of Nissan Leaf, showing the lithium cell modules created to achieve the required voltage.
Read More : Difference Between Electric Current and Electric Charge
Important Instruction to use Electrical Vehicle Batteries
- Don’t let the battery to reach below the cut-off voltage, which is also called as over discharging.
- The maximum efficiency can be achieved only when the current ratings are lower.
- The EV batteries comes in KWH (Kilo watt Hour) rating, which defines that how long the battery vehicle will run.
- There is always a self-discharge rate of the batteries.
- BMS (Battery Management System) helps you to find the amount of charge remaining in to the battery.
Environmental Impact of Batteries
Improper disposal of batteries contributes to environmental hazards due to toxic substances like lead and cadmium. Recycling programs aim to mitigate this impact, promoting sustainable practices.
Maintenance and Care of Batteries
Maximize battery life by:
- Avoiding overcharging or deep discharging.
- Storing in a cool, dry place.
- Using compatible chargers and following manufacturer guidelines.
Read More : How to Wire Lights in Series?
FAQs
1. What is the difference between primary and secondary batteries?
Primary batteries are non-rechargeable, while secondary batteries can be recharged multiple times, making them more sustainable.
2. How do lithium-ion batteries work?
Lithium-ion batteries operate through the movement of lithium ions between the anode and cathode during charging and discharging cycles.
3. What are the applications of lead-acid batteries?
Lead-acid batteries are widely used in automobiles, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and renewable energy systems.
4. Can batteries be recycled?
Yes, batteries can be recycled. Recycling programs help recover valuable materials and reduce environmental harm.
Related Topics
-
Why Can’t We Store AC in Batteries Instead of DC?
-
How to Wire Batteries in Series to a Solar Panel and UPS?
-
How Many Panels Batteries Charge Controller and Inverter Need ?
-
Batteries in Series vs Parallel: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Configuration
-
Unlocking the Science: Why Do Batteries Store Energy in the Form of Chemical Energy?
-
What is the Difference Between Analog and Digital Circuit?
-
How to Wire 277V and 480V 1-Phase and 3-Phase Commercial Main Service Panel?
-
What is DAC (Digital to Analog Converter)?
-
Can We Use AC Circuit Breaker for DC Circuit and Vice Versa?
-
Diode vs. Transistor: Key Differences Explained with Examples
-
How To Wire Combo Of 3 And 1-Φ 400v/230v Distribution Board?
