What are the common safety standards for lithium-ion batteries?
There are five common safety standards for lithium-ion batteries:
- IEC62133
- UN38.3
- IEC62619
- UL1642
- UL2580
IEC62133 is a safety test standard for lithium-ion cells and batteries. It is a safety requirement for testing secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or non-acid electrolytes. It is used to test LIBs used in portable electronics and other applications. IEC 62133 addresses chemical and electrical hazards that may threaten consumers and the environment, as well as mechanical issues such as vibration and shock.
UN38.3 covers transportation safety testing for all lithium ion batteries, lithium metal cells and batteries. The test standard includes eight tests, all focusing on specific transportation hazards. UN38.3 is a self-certification standard that does not require independent third-party testing, but it is common to use third-party testing laboratories to reduce the risk of litigation in the event of an accident.
There are several common packaging and safe transportation standards for lithium batteries , such as:
- UN3090 Lithium metal Batteries, Batteries only
- UN3480, Lithium ion Batteries, Batteries only
- UN3091,Lithium metal batteries packed with equipmentor Lithium metal batteries contained in equipment
- UN3481, Lithium ion batteries packed with equipmentor Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment L
IEC62619 covers the safety standards for secondary lithium cells and battery packs, and specifies the safety application requirements of LIB in electronic and other industrial applications. The IEC 62619 standard test requirements apply to both stationary and power applications. Stationary applications include telecommunications, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), energy storage systems, utility switches, emergency power supplies, and similar applications. Power applications include forklifts, golf carts, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), railways, and ships – excluding road vehicles.
UL1642 is the UL standard for lithium battery safety, which specifies standard requirements for primary and secondary lithium battery used as power sources in electronic products.
UL1642 does not cover the risk of toxicity caused by ingestion of lithium batteries, or the risk of exposure to metallic lithium due to battery damage or cutting.
UL2580 is the UL electric vehicle battery safety standard, which consists of multiple tests, including: high current battery short circuit, battery crush, battery cell crush, LIB test chamber.
In summary, the lithium metal content in lithium-ion battery means that they pose a potential hazard to users of battery-powered systems. LIB safety hazards include deep discharge, short circuit, high temperature and mechanical abuse. There are dozens of international safety standards and design requirements for lithium-ion batteries. This article introduces five common safety standards for lithium-ion battery, as well as some basic considerations when specifying a LIB test chamber.