Abstract:

For decades, lead-acid batteries have been used in very different sectors such as automotive and buildings etc. because of their relatively cheap price compared to other storage technologies and their maturity. As electric cars become more popular, the disposal of used batteries will become a greater problem across the world. E-mobility requires a high power capability from the batteries to supply the necessary torque to engines. If a battery can no longer supply this power, it is no longer fit to be used in e-mobility. However, some batteries can still supply enough power for other applications, such as renewable energy systems. Repurposing a battery in these conditions is considered by the literature as giving it a second-life. Second-life batteries pose an important problem of cost. They also need costly equipment and testing to determine whether and for how long they can be reused, making them less competitive, though they are sold at lower rates. A low-cost solution to this problem is proposed in this work.