How do Lithium Batteries catch fire?
Lithium Batteries are extremely volatile components, they are extremely sensitive to high temperatures and inherently flammable. These battery packs tend to degrade much faster than they normally would, due to heat. If a lithium-ion battery pack fails, it will burst into flames and can cause widespread damage. This blog will go into some of the reasons why Lithium Batteries can catch fire.
Manufacturing Defects
Flaws in production can cause impurities to seep into the lithium-ion cell during the manufacturing process. Battery manufacturers need to ensure stringently controlled cleanrooms for manufacturing batteries.
Another defect could be the thinning of separators which could prove detrimental in actual use. It is extremely important that cells undergo strict quality-control tests and validation before being sold.
Charger Issues
Using poorly insulated chargers can damage the battery. If the charger shorts or generates heat near the battery, it can do enough damage to cause failure.
While lithium-ion batteries have built-in protections to stop them from overcharging, using unofficial chargers can damage the battery in the long term.
Low-quality components
In addition to manufacturing defects, using low-quality components is one of the highest causes of battery failures. Increasing competition is driving the prices of batteries down. By skimping on poor-quality electronics like the battery management system, the risk of battery failure increases.
The battery management system is critical to battery safety and performance. It protects the battery pack from operating outside of its safe operating area. As batteries form a high-value component of an electric vehicle or energy storage system, it’s essential to invest in a smart battery management system that can detect cell failures immediately and prevent the battery from exploding.
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