The difference between lithium-ion batteries and dry batteries, which one is better

    This article explains in detail what is the difference between lithium-ion batteries and dry batteries? Currently, in the field of batteries, different types of batteries are competing fiercely. Batteries are basically divided into rechargeable (also known as wet batteries) and non-rechargeable (also known as dry batteries). Lithium-ion batteries can be roughly divided into two categories: lithium metal batteries and lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries do not contain metallic lithium and are rechargeable.

    What is the difference between lithium-ion batteries and dry batteries?

    1. Dry cell battery

    Dry cell is also called voltaic cell. Voltaic cell is made up of multiple groups of round plates in pairs and stacked in a certain order. There are two different metal plates on the round plates, and there is a layer of cloth between the layers to serve as a conductor. Dry cell is made according to this principle. There is a paste-like substance inside the dry cell, some of which is gelatin.

    Common ones include general zinc-manganese dry batteries, alkaline zinc-manganese dry batteries, magnesium-manganese dry batteries, zinc-air batteries, zinc-mercury oxide batteries, zinc-silver oxide batteries, lithium-manganese batteries, etc.

    2. Lithium-ion battery

    The solution inside the lithium-ion battery is a non-aqueous electrolyte solution, and the negative electrode material is lithium metal or lithium alloy. Therefore, the difference from the dry battery is that the internal reaction substances of the battery are different, and the charging characteristics are different. Lithium-ion batteries can be charged cyclically. Usually, when using lithium-ion batteries, they must be equipped with special overcharge and over-discharge protection circuits.

    Comparison of lithium-ion batteries and dry batteries

    1. Dry batteries are disposable batteries, while lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries. They can be charged and recharged many times, and have no memory. They can be used anytime, regardless of the amount of electricity.

    2. Dry batteries are highly polluting. In the past, many batteries contained heavy metals such as mercury and lead, which seriously polluted the environment. Because they are disposable batteries, they are thrown away quickly after being used up. However, lithium-ion batteries do not contain harmful metals.

    3. Lithium-ion batteries also have fast charging function and high cycle life, which is unattainable by dry batteries, and many lithium-ion batteries now have internal protection circuits;

    4. Dry batteries use electrolytes to initiate chemical reactions to supply electricity, while lithium-ion batteries rely on activating the movement of lithium ions to generate electricity. The working principles are different.

    As we all know, the pollution hazards and widespread nature of dry batteries have not yet been effectively controlled. Therefore, the case of using lithium-ion batteries as 1.5V output power supply has received great attention from industry insiders and has been explored and studied, but the problems of small size, small space, high self-discharge and high cost of dry batteries have not been well dealt with.

    Advantages of Lithium-ion Batteries

    1. Gravimetric energy density

    At present, the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is generally 200~260wh/g, and that of lead-acid batteries is generally 50~70wh/g. The weight energy density of lithium-ion batteries is 3~5 times that of lead-acid batteries, which means that the lead content is the same. Acid batteries are three to five times stronger than lithium-ion batteries, so lithium-ion batteries have an absolute advantage in energy storage.

    2. Volumetric energy density

    Since the volume capacity density of lithium-ion batteries is generally about 1.5 times that of lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries are about 30% smaller than lead-acid batteries in the case of the same capacity.

    3. Use loops

    The most popular lithium-ion battery materials at present are ternary lithium and iron lithium. For example, ternary lithium-ion batteries usually have 1,000 cycles, lithium iron phosphate batteries have more than 2,000 cycles, and lead-acid batteries usually have 300-350 cycles. This means that the life of lithium-ion batteries is about 3-6 times that of lead-acid batteries.

    4. Price

    Lead-acid batteries are currently cheaper than lithium-ion batteries, which cost about three times as much. However, when broken down by lifespan, lithium-ion batteries last longer for the same cost.

    5. Applicability

    Due to its safety, lithium-ion batteries are slightly inferior to lead-acid batteries. The temperature adaptability of lead-acid batteries is also very good. Therefore, lithium-ion batteries are at risk of fire or explosion during use. For example, some external factors may cause lithium-ion batteries to be damaged by accidents, so various safety precautions must be taken. Therefore, lithium-ion batteries are not as compatible as lead-acid batteries.

    Summary: The above is the difference between dry cell batteries and lithium-ion batteries. Unlike ordinary lithium-ion batteries, the capacity of dry cell batteries is not a fixed value, and no manufacturer indicates the battery capacity (mAh) on the outer packaging of dry cells. Dry cells show different capacities under different loads.