Comparison between lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries

1. Introduction

With the rapid development of science and technology and the increasing attention paid to renewable energy around the world, battery technology, as a key component of energy storage, has received extensive attention and research. Consumers and companies need to consider multiple factors such as performance, cost, and safety when choosing battery types. Therefore, it is particularly important to conduct a comprehensive and objective comparative analysis of lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries. Through comparative analysis of the working principles, performance characteristics, cost, safety, and environmental protection of lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries, we can help everyone have a deeper understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the two batteries, so as to make more reasonable choices in different application scenarios.

2. Lithium batteries Overview

2.1 The working principle of lithium batteries: storage and release of electrical energy based on the migration of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes. Through the charging and discharging process, lithium ions reciprocate between the positive and negative electrodes to achieve the conversion and storage of electric energy

2.2 Advantages of lithium batteries: high energy density; Low self-discharge rate; No memory effect; Fast charging speed; Long service life

3. Lead-acid batteries Overview

3.1 How lead-acid batteries work: The working principle of lead-acid batteries (also called lead batteries) is based primarily on the electrochemical reaction of lead (Pb) and lead oxide (PbO₂) in sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) solution.

3.2 Advantages of lead-acid batteries: Low cost; Mature technology; High safety (relative to lithium batteries); recyclable

4. Application Scenario Analysis

4.1 Application areas of lithium batteries

Smart phone:

Lithium batteries become the ideal power source for smart phones due to their high energy density, long service life and lightweight characteristics.
Lithium battery has no memory effect, high charging and discharging efficiency, good safety, and guarantee the safety of users.

Electric vehicle:

The application of lithium batteries in the field of electric vehicles is increasingly popular, especially electric vehicles equipped with lithium ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries have the advantages of high energy density, small size, light weight, long cycle life and low self-discharge rate.

Drones:

Lithium battery is one of the most basic components of the UAV, providing energy for the UAV, supporting its take-off, flight, hovering, landing and other stages.
The lithium battery in the UAV needs to ensure a stable voltage to avoid damage to other electronic components and impact on flight performance.

4.2 Application areas of lead-acid batteries

Car starting battery:

Lead-acid battery is the main energy source for car starting, providing the electric energy required for car starting and running. The main functions of lead batteries in automobiles include starting, discharging and storing electricity. When starting the engine, provide a strong starting current to the starter (generally up to 200~600A).

When the generator is overloaded, the lead-acid battery can also help the generator supply power to electrical equipment. When the end voltage of the generator is higher than the electromotive force of the lead battery, the lead battery will also convert part of the electrical energy into chemical energy storage, that is, charging.

UPS power supply:

In a UPS power supply system, lead-acid batteries are used as energy storage devices. When the mains supply is interrupted, the lead-acid battery discharges to the inverter, which converts the DC power released by the battery into sinusoidal AC power to maintain the power output of the UPS and ensure that the load can use power normally within a certain period of time. When the mains supply is normal, the battery stores electrical energy in the rectifying - charging circuit, and plays the role of smoothing and filtering the direct current circuit, and acts as a buffer when the inverter is overloaded.

Electric forklift:

Lead-acid battery is a key component of forklift, which is mainly used to provide power for forklift.
The lead-acid battery is combined with the electric forklift motor to convert the electric energy into power to drive the forklift, lift, lifting and other operations.

Lead-acid batteries play an important role in forklifts, which can ensure the stability and safety of forklifts, and provide auxiliary power for forklifts, such as lights, buzzers, meters, etc.

6. Conclusion

In a variety of application scenarios, the choice of battery type is crucial. For cost-sensitive and low performance applications, lead-acid batteries are an economical and practical choice. Lead-acid batteries are known for their low cost, mature technology and simple maintenance process, making it still widely used in traditional fields such as automotive startup batteries and UPS power supplies. These occasions usually do not require high energy density or lightweight design, so lead-acid batteries can meet basic performance requirements and provide a good price/performance ratio.
However, in the pursuit of high performance and lightweight occasions, lithium batteries have become the first choice. Lithium batteries stand out for their high energy density, long life and lightweight characteristics, which have brought revolutionary changes to mobile devices, electric vehicles and high-end electronic products. The high energy density of lithium batteries enables devices to have longer battery life and higher performance under smaller volume and weight, meeting the needs of users for high-performance power supplies. At the same time, the lightweight characteristics of lithium batteries also make the equipment more portable, providing users with a better use experience.
Therefore, when choosing a battery type, it is necessary to make trade-offs according to specific application scenarios and needs. Cost sensitive and performance requirements are not high occasions can choose lead-acid batteries, while the pursuit of high performance and lightweight occasions are preferred lithium batteries. This ensures the best balance between performance, cost and experience.