Battery Capacity Computation Using Peukert's Equation in a Virtual Environment

Peukert's constant is one of the key factors used to characterize the capacity of a battery as a function of discharge time. In order to enhance the conceptual understanding of Peukert's law and Peukert's constant amongst students, this paper describes the theory and development of simulations and interactive animations that allow students to virtually experiment with NiMH battery and measure its capacity as a function of discharge rate. One of the key contributions of this work is the characterization of battery capacity with its ambient temperature in addition to the discharge rate. The online experiments allow learning to happen without the need to set up hardware, do calibrations etc. as in the case of a physical experiment. An instrument to gauge the scientific understanding of concepts related to Peukert's equation was developed as part of this work. Study on educational outcomes from exposure of students to this virtual experiment showed three times increase in assessment scores.