New Use of LiMn 2 O 4 Batteries Under Renewable Overvoltage as Thermal Power Generators: Energy and Exergy Analysis

Juan Carlos Ríos-Fernández () and M. Inmaculada Álvarez Fernández
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Juan Carlos Ríos-Fernández: Department of Energy, Polytechnic School of Engineering of Gijón, University of Oviedo, 33203 Gijón, Spain
M. Inmaculada Álvarez Fernández: Department of Exploitation and Prospecting Mines, Polytechnic School of Mieres, University of Oviedo, 33600 Mieres, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-21

Abstract: Lithium-ion batteries are extensively used for energy storage in renewable, electronic, and automotive applications. However, once their electrical capacity is exhausted, they become hazardous waste that requires energy-intensive recycling processes. This study investigates the thermodynamic and exergetic behavior of LiMn 2 O 4 -based lithium-ion batteries subjected to controlled electrical overvoltage from renewable energy sources, aiming to quantify their potential for thermal energy generation and recovery. A detailed mathematical model was developed to describe the coupled heat transfer and electrochemical phenomena occurring during overvoltage conditions, and experimental validation was performed under various voltage levels and charging states. Energy and exergy analyses were applied to determine the configuration yielding the highest conversion efficiency for both new and aged cells. The maximum thermal energy efficiency reached 81% for new batteries and 4% for used batteries, while the corresponding exergetic efficiencies were 5% and 1.6%, respectively. Although this study does not propose the immediate large-scale reuse of spent batteries as thermal devices, the results provide quantitative insight into irreversible energy conversion processes and highlight their potential contribution to waste heat recovery and energy optimization strategies in sustainable industrial systems. This thermodynamic framework offers a novel approach for valorizing end-of-life batteries within circular energy models, reducing environmental impact, and advancing the integration of renewable energy-driven heat recovery technologies.

Keywords: energy and exergy analysis; lithium-ion batteries; MnO 2 cathode; energy storage; resource conservation; SDG 12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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