Battery Lifecycle & Cost Analyzer

Comprehensive Battery Asset Management Tool. Simulates Life Expectancy (Calendar + Cycle), calculates Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS), and visualizes the impact of temperature, DoD, and idle time on battery health. Supports VRLA, Li-ion, and NiCd chemistries.

1. Financial & Capacity Data
2. Technical Specifications
3. Operating Environment

Battery Knowledge Base

Topics

1. The Heat Thief: Arrhenius Law

Batteries are electrochemical devices. Like all chemical reactions, aging accelerates with heat. The industry standard rule, derived from the Arrhenius Equation, states that for every 10°C (18°F) rise in operating temperature above 25°C, the chemical reaction rate doubles.

Impact: A VRLA battery rated for 10 years at 25°C will last only 5 years at 35°C, and a mere 2.5 years at 45°C. This calculator models this exponential decay accurately for different chemistries.

2. The Cycle Tax: Depth of Discharge (DoD)

Using a battery consumes it. The deeper you discharge (Depth of Discharge), the more mechanical stress the internal plates endure. In Lead Acid, this is due to the expansion of lead sulfate crystals. In Li-ion, it is the expansion of the anode lattice.

This relationship follows a Power Law (Wöhler Curve). Discharging a battery to 80% DoD is not just twice as damaging as 40% DoD; it is often 3 to 4 times as damaging. Shallow cycling significantly extends total energy throughput.

3. The Memory Effect (NiCd Specific)

Nickel-Cadmium batteries have a unique flaw. If they are repeatedly discharged only partially (e.g., shallow cycles to 80% remaining capacity), the active material crystals grow large and "stubborn."

Result: The battery "remembers" this shallow depth. When you later try to use the full capacity, the voltage drops prematurely at that point, effectively reducing usable capacity. This calculator detects shallow cycling patterns in NiCd inputs and applies a penalty.

4. The Silent Killer: Sulfation & SEI Growth

Batteries die even when doing nothing.

  • Lead Acid (Sulfation): If left sitting without a full charge, soft lead sulfate hardens into crystals that permanently coat the plates, reducing capacity. This tool applies an idle penalty for low cycle rates.
  • Li-Ion (SEI Growth): The Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) layer thickens over time, consuming lithium ions. High temperature and High State of Charge (100%) accelerate this.

5. LCOS: The True Cost of Energy

Buying a cheap battery often costs more in the long run. The Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) calculates the cost of every kWh the battery delivers over its life.

$$ LCOS = \frac{\text{Total Initial Cost}}{\text{Total Lifetime Energy (kWh)}} $$

A standardized metric that allows you to compare a cheap Lead Acid battery (low cycle life) against an expensive LFP battery (high cycle life).