Core Battery Fundamentals of “Jelly Roll” Design
A battery is an electrochemical device that stores electricity in one or more cells. So much for the science, but what do these terms actually mean? We define these core battery fundamentals in this post. While we also explain how batteries can only do their job when their terminals connect opening a circuit.
Battery Fundamentals: Electricity and Electrochemistry
Electricity, without all the jargon, is energy in charged particles. We can store this in batteries, and connect it through circuits, a light bulb for example. This arrangement releases electrical charges that energize that circuit.
The electrochemistry in a battery allows those electrical charges (electrons) to move from and back to the battery. This process occurs as chemical changes occur inside each cell. We move on from these core battery fundamentals to consider their practical applications.
When we charge (or recharge) a battery we load it with a fresh supply of electrical charges. The external circuit consumes these electrons as the energy powers it. When the battery runs low on charged particles, then the device stops working, and we say the battery is flat.
However, this does not mean that the battery has run out of electrons. A flat battery still contains power, but not enough to energize that particular device. This is why spent lithium-ion batteries can still cause fires, and harm innocent little children who pop them into their mouths.
Lining Up Primary and Secondary Batteries
We can’t safely top up the electrons in primary, single use batteries. That’s because their electrochemistry is too elementary to allow this, and could leak, overheat, break open, and even catch fire if we try.
However, we should be able to re-energize a secondary battery, if it is clearly marked ‘rechargeable’. But do please use the right charger, especially if it is a lithium-ion battery. Because, if you apply too much voltage, a battery could leak, overheat, break open, and even catch fire.
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