Investigating Lithium Battery Health and Performance through Electrical Testing: A Case Study of 18650 Cells

The research article introduces an innovative system designed to detect damage in Lithium-ion 18650 batteries and assess their capacity. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the detector’s development, encompassing the tools, materials, and procedures employed, including the utilization of Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) measurements for State of Charge (SOC) determination. The system’s design is grounded in Vmax and Vmin values derived from charging and discharging module tests, further validated with experimental data from used battery samples to identify characteristics of faulty batteries. The research reveals a clear-cut open circuit voltage threshold of 2.8 V, distinguishing between normal and faulty batteries, with values below 2.8 V indicating faultiness. The findings underscore the prototype’s effectiveness in battery assessment, boasting a mere 2.28% mean error in power readings. Beyond its prowess in distinguishing between faulty and normal batteries and monitoring battery health, the research also excels in accurately estimating the remaining energy capacity within the battery, marking a significant advancement in battery health assessment and precise remaining battery capacity estimation.