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Is there a theoretical limit to (current generation) battery capacity, like there is with solar panel power output?

by mfgs 7y ago

zelon88 7y ago
There probably is. I'm no chemical engineer, but this is a question they would be best suited to answer. From my experience observing the technology from an R/C standpoint, it seems appearant that the maximum capacity you can achieve with a NiCd (nickel cadmium) battery in a 1.2v "Sub-C" form factor is about 2,000 MaH. The max capacity for a NiMH (nickel metal-hydride) is about 6,000 Mah. Anything lithium is capable of anything nickel can do, but with approximately 50% the weight. Lithium cells are where the technology currently lies and it seems that there is plenty of potential, although graphene is also promising. We haven't hit the limit for lithium batteries yet (or nickel for that matter, but the remaining potential is no longer relevant) Li-Ion (lithium ion) are less stable than Li-Po (lithium-polymer). Also, since Lithium cells are usually 3.4v rectangles and Nickel cells are 1.2v cylinders there are some form-factor differences to consider.
zelon88 7y ago
Also, it's important to note that batteries don't generate power. They store power. Literally. You pump electrons into them and they hold onto them internally until they can be released again. Think of it as a water balloon for electrons. You create a vessel which is capable of efficiently containing electrons. Then you pump electrons into it and hope enough of them stick to be worthwhile. This is battery technology. Different battery technologies have different characteristics. Nickel batteries usually have some form of "cell memory" where the cell will store "stale" electrons indefinately, and lose the ability to release them. These electrons can become "trapped" inside the battery and reduce it's capacity. Likewise the chemical composition of lithium batteries makes them extremely volatile. This means that if you were to completely remove all electrons from the cell it would forget that it is a battery and refuse to store future electrons you try to pump into it. You also have to balance each cell in a lithium pack, else they will become uneven and one could possibly become completely empty (killing the cell). Likewise, when a nickel cell loses all it's electrons it is still possible to "zap" the cell back to life with a large jolt of electrons. Some of which stick, some do not. Sometimes this results in the battery "waking up" to accept more electrons. Sometimes it doesn't, and a 6 cell (7.2v) nickel battery will have to be dissected to replace the bad cells.

Is there a theoretical limit to (current generation) battery capacity, like there is with solar panel power output?

by mfgs 7y ago

Is there a theoretical limit to (current generation) battery capacity, like there is with solar panel power output?

There probably is. I'm no chemical engineer, but this is a question they would be best suited to answer. From my experience observing the technology from an R/C standpoint, it seems appearant that the maximum capacity you can achieve with a NiCd (nickel cadmium) battery in a 1.2v "Sub-C" form factor is about 2,000 MaH. The max capacity for a NiMH (nickel metal-hydride) is about 6,000 Mah. Anything lithium is capable of anything nickel can do, but with approximately 50% the weight. Lithium cells are where the technology currently lies and it seems that there is plenty of potential, although graphene is also promising. We haven't hit the limit for lithium batteries yet (or nickel for that matter, but the remaining potential is no longer relevant) Li-Ion (lithium ion) are less stable than Li-Po (lithium-polymer). Also, since Lithium cells are usually 3.4v rectangles and Nickel cells are 1.2v cylinders there are some form-factor differences to consider.

zelon88 7y ago

Also, it's important to note that batteries don't generate power. They store power. Literally. You pump electrons into them and they hold onto them internally until they can be released again. Think of it as a water balloon for electrons. You create a vessel which is capable of efficiently containing electrons. Then you pump electrons into it and hope enough of them stick to be worthwhile. This is battery technology. Different battery technologies have different characteristics. Nickel batteries usually have some form of "cell memory" where the cell will store "stale" electrons indefinately, and lose the ability to release them. These electrons can become "trapped" inside the battery and reduce it's capacity. Likewise the chemical composition of lithium batteries makes them extremely volatile. This means that if you were to completely remove all electrons from the cell it would forget that it is a battery and refuse to store future electrons you try to pump into it. You also have to balance each cell in a lithium pack, else they will become uneven and one could possibly become completely empty (killing the cell). Likewise, when a nickel cell loses all it's electrons it is still possible to "zap" the cell back to life with a large jolt of electrons. Some of which stick, some do not. Sometimes this results in the battery "waking up" to accept more electrons. Sometimes it doesn't, and a 6 cell (7.2v) nickel battery will have to be dissected to replace the bad cells.