Medicine has greatly benefited from cell innovations. Battery packs for medical equipment are meant to ease portability. They are also meant to act as backup power sources. In remote areas, they come in handy as some tests and life-saving procedures can be done en route to the hospital or nearest facility. They also come in handy in war and travel. Picking the right one can be tricky especially without guidance. Even with guidance, one should know what the professional is talking about.
One common type of cells is called Zinc air. This is just a cell that oxidizes zinc with oxygen from the air. Experts say that as long as the cell is kept in an airtight package, it has a shelf life of up to three years. As soon as it gets exposed to the air, degradation starts. This may be thought to be one of the cheapest options out there. It replaced the mercury zinc oxide cells which were banned by legislation.
Another type is Lithium iodide. This is considered to be the standard cell in medicine. It uses lithium as an anode and has a long charge life. That makes it quite suitable for devices such as the pacemaker. It can be used for up to 15 years without requiring replacement. It may also be quite expensive. Another type is the NiCad. This is fading out though and is only used in rare occasions where necessary. However, new and modern options are being discovered.
An expert might talk about chemistry. This will determine a lot about the use and longevity of such cells. One will probably hear about something called internal resistance. This may rise over time causing the device to draw more power than needed. The batteries will then heat up and energy will be wasted. Therefore, ask if the internal resistance of the cell has been matched up to the load requirement of a device.
Any cell regardless of where or how it is used works best at room temperature. Some advice that a higher ambient temp is ideal. It may be. Though the positive effect is only short term. In the long term, the cell structure is compromised and life is shortened.
Ever had two different phones that charged at completely different speeds? One will be all filled up and ready to go within an hour. The other will take up to four hours to get to 100%. The same is true for these kinds of cells. Fast charging is good until the consequent chemical and physical changes cause a decrease in performance in the long term.
Away from the complicated stuff, look for battery life. This is the period during which the cells can run the device before requiring a recharge. It is always better to go with the highest charge life. Who knows what situations will come up? It would be very sad to lose a patient because the charge ran out.
As a reminder, try to keep these cells fully charged and ready to go at all times. Have extras too. A cell could have degraded in the chaos of a trauma. An important tip, read the instructions on the packaging. These are good at guiding the use of the batteries and ensuring longevity.
One common type of cells is called Zinc air. This is just a cell that oxidizes zinc with oxygen from the air. Experts say that as long as the cell is kept in an airtight package, it has a shelf life of up to three years. As soon as it gets exposed to the air, degradation starts. This may be thought to be one of the cheapest options out there. It replaced the mercury zinc oxide cells which were banned by legislation.
Another type is Lithium iodide. This is considered to be the standard cell in medicine. It uses lithium as an anode and has a long charge life. That makes it quite suitable for devices such as the pacemaker. It can be used for up to 15 years without requiring replacement. It may also be quite expensive. Another type is the NiCad. This is fading out though and is only used in rare occasions where necessary. However, new and modern options are being discovered.
An expert might talk about chemistry. This will determine a lot about the use and longevity of such cells. One will probably hear about something called internal resistance. This may rise over time causing the device to draw more power than needed. The batteries will then heat up and energy will be wasted. Therefore, ask if the internal resistance of the cell has been matched up to the load requirement of a device.
Any cell regardless of where or how it is used works best at room temperature. Some advice that a higher ambient temp is ideal. It may be. Though the positive effect is only short term. In the long term, the cell structure is compromised and life is shortened.
Ever had two different phones that charged at completely different speeds? One will be all filled up and ready to go within an hour. The other will take up to four hours to get to 100%. The same is true for these kinds of cells. Fast charging is good until the consequent chemical and physical changes cause a decrease in performance in the long term.
Away from the complicated stuff, look for battery life. This is the period during which the cells can run the device before requiring a recharge. It is always better to go with the highest charge life. Who knows what situations will come up? It would be very sad to lose a patient because the charge ran out.
As a reminder, try to keep these cells fully charged and ready to go at all times. Have extras too. A cell could have degraded in the chaos of a trauma. An important tip, read the instructions on the packaging. These are good at guiding the use of the batteries and ensuring longevity.
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