Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires, how should we properly deal with the safety of lithium-ion batteries?

　　Over the past two decades, lithium-ion batteries have permeated almost every aspect of our daily lives: smartphones, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, clean energy, energy storage systems, and more. It is no exaggeration to say that SES Power believes that human activities are inseparable from lithium-ion batteries.

　　Lithium-ion batteries are also known to be more dangerous than other rechargeable batteries, and they pose some significant safety risks if not handled properly. In June, Vancouver firefighters warned the public that lithium-ion batteries had become the leading cause of all fire-related deaths in the city.

　　We can't deny lithium-ion batteries because they are dangerous. What we should do is how to properly handle the safety of lithium-ion batteries. As a senior manufacturer with nearly 20 years of experience in the lithium-ion battery industry, SES Power knows the importance of safety, so we mainly manufacture SES Power products with high-safety lithium iron phosphate batteries, such as 12V100Ah, 12V200Ah, 24V100Ah, 24V200Ah, 36V100Ah, 48V50Ah, 48V100Ah and other lead-acid replacements, wall-mounted home energy storage, portable home energy storage, 12V30Ah, 12V50Ah, 12V60Ah start-up batteries (the maximum peak current can reach 1500A), which can work normally in polar and cold environments Working lithium batteries, etc.

　　Below, our senior engineers will explain to you about the safety of lithium batteries, especially how to prevent lithium batteries from exploding.

　　A: The principle of lithium-ion battery.

　　Lithium-ion batteries work by storing energy in chemical form and releasing it in the form of electrons through a series of electrochemical reactions. To achieve this, these batteries consist of a cathode with positively charged particles, an anode with negatively charged particles, and a liquid electrolyte.

　　Lithium ions flow from the anode to the cathode in the electrolyte, and the movement of the ions from the anode to the cathode creates an electrical current in the battery. There is also a component in the battery called the separator, which is a thin, porous membrane that separates the anode and cathode. During this process, the separator allows ions to move between the anode and cathode without allowing the anode and cathode to be physically connected to each other.

　　B: Potential security risks

　　The characteristics of the battery as an energy storage unit make it risky in terms of safety such as explosion if it is not properly stored.

　　It should be noted that a major cause of fires is the failure of the separator separating the anode and cathode of a lithium-ion battery: if the separator is punctured, a short circuit can occur between the anode and cathode. Among the electrolytes, which consist of a series of organic solvents, are flammable and eventually cause fires.

　　Another cause of battery explosion and fire is thermal runaway. This is a phenomenon where high external temperatures cause an exothermic reaction inside the battery, which in turn further increases the temperature of the battery. This self-sustaining cycle can lead to overheating, which can stress the battery, which could eventually lead to an explosion.

　　C: How to solve the safety problems such as the explosion of lithium-ion batteries?

　　As lithium-ion batteries become more common, the associated safety issues are particularly important. While batteries are largely safe in small areas, battery-related safety incidents are only likely to increase as more batteries enter various fields. All else being equal, this trend will continue as more lithium-ion-based devices such as electric vehicles enter the market.

　　There are many paths we can take to ensure a safer future.

　　1. Avoid short circuit and overcharge

　　Almost most of the safety accidents caused by lithium batteries are caused by short circuits: very large current and heat are generated inside the battery, which not only causes serious damage to battery life, but also affects the use of sealed lithium batteries. In other words, a certain pressure will be generated inside the battery, which will lead to a sudden increase in the internal pressure of the battery, and due to the very active chemical properties of lithium ions, the case will eventually burst and burn.

　　When we overcharge (overcharge) the battery, since the negative electrode of the lithium battery cannot insert more lithium ions, the lithium ions are precipitated as metallic lithium on the surface of the negative electrode, resulting in the appearance of dendrite lithium. When the dendrite lithium grows to a certain extent, the diaphragm will be pierced, resulting in an internal short circuit of the battery, and the isolation diaphragm will be damaged.

　　Therefore, when we use lithium batteries daily, we should try to avoid short circuit or overcharge, and use a regular and qualified charger. Although lithium batteries are almost always equipped with the corresponding BMS or PCM, SES Power does not recommend connecting the batteries to a powered charger for a long time.

　　2. Piercing is dangerous

　　Compared with short circuit and overcharge, it is also a very unwise practice to pierce the lithium battery. If the lithium battery is pierced by any hard object, the lithium ions inside it will directly react with the oxygen in the air, and the phenomenon of violent combustion will also occur.

　　For lithium batteries themselves or other electronic products containing lithium batteries, we usually see eye-catching trash can signs. If the lithium battery is discarded at will, it will not only cause environmental pollution, but also more prone to fire and other situations in the process of garbage disposal.

　　3. Avoid high temperature or fire

　　In hot summer or in an environment exposed to the sun for a long time, such as the interior of a car, the ambient temperature of the lithium battery will be higher than its normal storage temperature. Therefore, when we use equipment containing lithium-ion batteries, we should try to avoid using it for a long time in an environment with excessively high temperatures. Although the lithium battery will explode and burn for a relatively long time when it is directly roasted, but There will still be a sudden increase in its internal pressure.