Cylindrical batteries, pouch batteries, prismatic batteries, how to choose?

Cylindrical batteries, pouch batteries, prismatic batteries, how to choose?

There are several models of cylindrical batteries available, including the 18650 Battery, 21700 Battery, 32700 Battery, 32650 Battery, 26650 Battery, 10440 Battery, and 32140 Battery. Cylindrical batteries have been in development for a long time, and they boast the most mature technology, making them cost-effective, stable, and durable. These batteries offer a high energy density for individual units and exhibit good consistency. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as limited energy density improvement potential and the need for complex combinations with high requirements for Battery Management Systems (BMS). The 18650 lithium battery, invented by SONY in 1992, is a well-known cylindrical cell that has seen significant development over the years and enjoys a high market penetration rate. It is widely used in LED lights, solar lights, mobile power, power tools, toys, and model airplanes. However, due to their relatively small capacity, creating large battery packs requires numerous cells, leading to demanding BMS requirements. Therefore, large battery packs with cylindrical cells, like those in Tesla car chassis consisting of 7000 18650 cells, are rare in the market. Additionally, the cylindrical cell's steel shell makes it relatively heavy. As a result, cylindrical cells are primarily utilized in small battery packs, such as LED lights, electric bicycles, solar lights, and toys.

Prismatic batteries, on the other hand, offer several advantages, including high strength, low internal resistance, long life, and efficient space utilization. However, their production process is challenging to standardize, and heat dissipation can be problematic. The common prismatic cell models include 50Ah, 80Ah, 100Ah, 150Ah, 200Ah, 280Ah, and 300Ah. Prismatic cells are widely used in large battery combinations and models, with new energy vehicle enterprises and large commercial energy storage typically opting for prismatic batteries. Leading battery suppliers, such as Ningde Times, BYD, and Guoxuan, focus on developing square batteries. Square lithium batteries mostly have aluminum shells and offer higher energy density compared to cylindrical batteries. Their simpler structure contributes to lighter overall weight, and their theoretical energy density surpasses that of cylindrical batteries. Moreover, square batteries exhibit high structural strength, good ability to withstand mechanical loads, low internal resistance, long life, and minimal energy density reduction after composition. As a result, prismatic cells are commonly used in new energy vehicle enterprises and large-scale commercial energy storage applications