LiFePO4 Batteries For Material Handling Industry

Are you looking for a battery that will provide you better performance, safety and durability, all in one? Then LiFePO4 batteries are the perfect choice for you. These batteries are also cost effective and offer a myriad of benefits to the user. They find efficient application in solar lighting systems, vehicles and household appliances.

Features of a LiFePO4 battery

This is a lithium ion battery that comprises lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material. As anode it makes use of carbon electrode with a metallic coating. The battery has a specific power about 2000 W/kg so that it can perform efficiently. It requires only 3.2 V to operate. It can be used consistently for 10 years because of its high stability. The battery can be utilized to generate energy for 2,000 cycles.

LiFePO4 batteries come coated with carbon nanotubes that confer excellent electrical conductivity. These batteries are less harmful due to their nontoxic nature. They are thermally stable and quickly rechargeable. For high quality performance, LiFePO4 batteries have inbuilt capacity of 170 mAh/g.

They can be purchased at a reasonable price because their chief raw material is Iron which is available in abundant quantities in nature.

Benefits Of A LiFePO4 battery

The reasons to choose LFP batteries over other common lithium ion batteries are many. The main plus point is that they deliver better and more advantages than others. For example if you take a lithium cobalt oxide battery you will find that it has less specific capacity and power rating than a LiFePO4 battery. Also, the use of cobalt in battery manufacture causes pollution at many levels. But in LiFePO4 batteries cobalt has been successfully replaced by phosphate that prevents our exposure to toxic cobalt. So, why to put your family and that environment at risk while disposing a LiCoO2 battery?

LFP batteries present longer cycles than the rest. They provide the quality of nickel based batteries by running at a constant voltage throughout their life span. The steady voltage of 3.2V allows the battery to consistently supply the maximum power to devices unlike other lithium batteries whose capacity declines with age.

You can even use your LFP batteries as a safer alternative instead of lead-acid batteries which are used heavily in transportation. This is possible by stacking 4 LiFePO4 batteries in a series arrangement, but you must be extra careful while charging this setup to prevent it from overcharging and resulting in damage.

LFP batteries are the perfect choice for your back up power or UPS, because they will not get damaged like other lithium ion batteries when kept in standby mode.

LFP batteries are guaranteed to provide you consistent efficiency over the years as they are designed to lose their energy density at a slower pace.

Are LFP batteries the safer choice?

Lithium cobalt oxide batteries contain cobalt as a significant component which has a resistance with negative temp coefficient that poses the risk of thermal instability. The chemistry of LiCoO2 allows spontaneous combustion if overcharging takes place. Even a short circuit can result in an explosion.

But LiFePO4 batteries contain phosphate that makes the battery structurally more stable. This ensures your safety while charging, because these batteries rarely get ignited during charging or short circuit.

Wide utility of LiFePO4 batteries

LFP batteries come handy for many purposes such as LiFePO4 transport, lighting, etc as well as for running household gadgets.

These batteries are suitable for bicycles and electric automobiles, since they facilitate better acceleration due to a higher discharge rate. Today, they are being extensively used in electric passenger cars, garbage trucks and hybrid military vehicles to list a few.

The unique properties of LiFePO4 batteries such as resistance to unstable climate and faster recharge make them the ideal fit for solar applications. People are using them in solar panels, street lights, lamps and inverters because of their compact, lightweight nature with tolerance to overcharging.

Other devices like e-cigarettes, emergency lighting systems, radio and flashlights also utilize LiFePO4 batteries for their excellent compatibility and cost affordability.

Source by Dong Wong