Tex 5 A. Unlocking the full potential of lithium-ion battery technology

by Glenn Denomme

1. Lithium-ion batteries are helping to usher in a new era of transportation, allowing automakers to bring new hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid-electric, and battery elec­tric vehicles to market. Additionally, ad­vancements in certain battery chemistries have enabled engineers to design and develop a number of other cutting-edge systems using lithium-ion technology be­yond the electrified drivetrain. The next-generation applica­tions boost fuel economy and enhance overall vehicle performance, they pres­ent engineering challenges in battery tech­nology.

2. Certain lithium-ion battery chemistries can be implemented in start-stop systems to replace existing lead acid designs. Some automakers are de­signing vehicles with two lead acid bat­teries, but this adds weight and decreases fuel efficiency, so it is proving to be an impractical solution. Lithium-ion offers an attractive third op­tion—depending on the chemistry, a sin­gle lithium-ion system can replace both lead acid batteries, providing cleaner, more reliable performance in a package that is about one-half of the weight. Lithium-ion systems also offer a far greater charge acceptance rate.

3. The engineering challenge, though, is how to integrate these advanced lithium-ion battery systems to maximize their full potential while ensuring compatibility with existing vehicle electronic design. With savvy systems engineering, communication and monitoring intelligence can be integrated directly into the lithium-ion battery pack, providing auto­makers with an advanced start-stop system that does not disrupt the normal op­erations of the vehicle's electronics. This start-stop function is just one ex­ample of how lithium-ion batteries can enhance existing automotive design. A battery must respond quickly to power demands from any electronic component without impacting the performance of the other systems in the vehicle.

4. As automakers face tre­mendous pressure to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles -to meet consumer demand for cleaner, more en­vironmentally friendly cars and trucks— lithium-ion battery technology offers sig­nificant engineering advantages for im­proving existing systems. The value of lithium-ion will offer fully integrated electronics. Leading automakers are starting to integrate lithium-ion re­placements for lead acid batteries into their designs.

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Exercise 2. Match the right and left items.

	enhance	a	the existing lead acid designs
	replace	b	fuel economy
	offer	c	overall vehicle performance
	boost	d	unique engineering challenges
	develop	e	compatibility with existing electronic design
	present	f	fully integrated electronics
	ensure	g	a number of other cutting-edge systems
	integrate	h	lithium-ion replacements for lead acid batteries into their designs

 

 

Exercise 3. Complete the following sentencesusing the words in the box:

a) compatibility b) cutting-edge c) enhancing vehicle performance d) charge acceptance e) lead acid batteries

 

1. Extreme cold and high heat reduce………., and the battery must be brought into moderate temperature conditions before charging.

2.A ………….battery technology developed at the University of Colorado that could allow tomorrow’s electric vehicles to travel twice as far on a charge is now closer to becoming a commercial reality.

3. In order to avoid problems with electromagnetic interference, Extensive Electromagnetic ………….. and components of vehicles are being developed.

4. ……...have changed little since the 1880's although improvements in materials and manufacturing methods continue to bring improvements in energy density, life and reliability.

5. There are two specific factors that you need to look at when ………….The first is to maximize the power output of the engine and the second one is to consider the fuel economy of the vehicle.

 

Exercise 4.Find the answers to the questions among the right items.

1. What do the lithium-ion battery chemistries replace?	a. poor fuel efficiency and extra weight.
2. Where can the lithium-ion battery chemistries be implemented?	b. better vehicle performance
3. What is provided by the advanced start-stop system?	c. normal operations of vehicle electronics.
4. What are the disadvantages of the vehicles with two lead acid batteries?	d. there is compatibility with existing vehicle electronic design, the battery responds quickly to power demands.
5. What is offered by the lithium-ion battery technology?	e. the existing lead acid batteries.
6. What does a single lithium-ion system provide?	f start-stop systems.
7. Why is the lithium–ion battery technology considered to be an engineering challenge?	g. cleaner, more reliable performance and greater charge capacity rate.

 

Exercise 5. Express your opinion about spread of the lithium–ion batteries and lead-acid ones in the future.

In my opinion	lithium–ion batteries	will/ won’t be widespread	because
To my mind	Lead- acid batteries	will /won’t dominate	as
			since

1) they are almost completely recycled.

2) they are generally too big and heavy and suffer from a shorter cycle life.

3) theycan be dangerous under some conditions since they contain a flammable electrolyte and kept pressurized.

4) they store energy in smaller spaces and can amp the speed.

5) they are reliable and tolerant to overcharging and to abuse.

6) they can be left on trickleor float charge (непрерывныйзаряд) for prolonged periods.

7) they have the most energy and electrochemicalpotential of all metals.

8) they are more environmentally sustainable.

9) they are not suitable for fast charging.

10) they pack a more powerful punch. (обладать большой мощностью)

Text 5 B.Lead-Acid’s Unmatched Sustainability

Read the text and make up a logical utterance with the help of the conjunctions:

beyond all doubt / The reason for this is that …/ that’s why/ As far as I know / besides/ It’s due to the fact that…

- Lead-acid batteries are almost completely recycled.

- Considerably less energy is required and less CO₂ emitted.

- The recycled materials used in the manufacture of new batteries are cheaper than batteries made only with new materials

- It will remain this way for many years to come.

- They have been proven to be more economical and reliable.

- They are more environmentally sustainable than the competition.

- Lead-acid batteries are the ones most favored by automakers.

1. From plug-in hybrids to vehicles equipped with “start-stop” technologies, lead-acid batteries are the ones most favored by automakers for starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) functions. The vehicles simply will not start without them. In addition to their cost advantage, lead-acid batteries have another crucial advantage over NiMH, Li-Ion and all other battery chemistries: sustainability.

2. The lead-acid industry’s undisputed economic advantage is due in large part to the fact that their batteries are almost completely recycled. From lead to sulfuric acid to even the plastic cases, all new lead-acid batteries - even those made with advanced lead-carbon technologies - can be recycled. The recycled materials used in the manufacture of new batteries are cheaper than batteries made only with new materials. This is because considerably less energy is required – and less CO₂emitted—to manufacture and recycle batteries than to make them only from “virgin” materials. No other battery chemistry can make that claim.

3. When considering why automakers choose lead-acid batteries for the SLI functions of hybrid vehicles, the reasons are obvious. Lead-acid batteries have been proven through more than 50 years to be more reliable, economic and environmentally sustainable than the competition. It will remain this way for many years to come.

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