Due to the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, the demand for batteries has increased. Often these battery cells and/or batteries are imported from Asia and it is mainly about price and not about safety. This needs to change, because this can lead to (fire) hazardous situations, says T&M Consultant André Handgraaf of TT&MS. More attention from the industry would be a nice step.
Testing batteries and battery cells for safety is very important. Many people will remember the images of the Tesla whose battery burned out. It is essential to test the safety of batteries, because you want to prevent such situations. In addition, it also plays a role that more and more means of transport use electric batteries. Electric bicycles are still gaining popularity and the electric scooter is also increasingly seen in the streets. If the battery cells of these vehicles overheat, you are faced with a major problem.
Many battery cells come from Asia and in practice there appears to be little attention for safety tests. A battery cell insulation test and an impedance test are simple tests that can be performed quickly and take little time. However, it is often chosen not to test. A question of time and money. However, if the cells show defects, life-threatening situations can arise. Extinguishing a battery in a non-test environment is a hopeless task. There is also room for improvement in Europe. Cells that arrive in batches of thousands of units are not all tested. And even after assembling a battery module or pack, it is simply sensible to go through a test routine before sending.
Damage to image
Unfortunately, there is still no obligation to test and safely store batteries. New guidelines are being worked on and there are many recommendations, but there is still no legally established standard. (The PGS-373 is still being worked on.)
Oddly enough, not all well-known manufacturers choose to have their batteries tested. Many battery accidents do not make it into the news, which means that the brand in question does not suffer any damage to its image. If these cases were to make the headlines more often, this would certainly have consequences for companies. More attention should be paid to the importance of safety testing.
Quality mark
There should be a quality mark on batteries. With such a sticker you know immediately whether the product in question is safe. The first step, however, is to create awareness. A safe test environment is needed and these are still scarce. Weiss Technik has developed special climate cabinets for the safe testing of batteries. The company Hiltra has developed specific cabinets for the safe storage of batteries. If a fire breaks out, no damage is caused to the building. Special extinguishing agents for lithium batteries are also now available.
In addition to safety, the capacity of the battery is a point of attention. The following questions must certainly be asked when it comes to batteries. How long does a battery actually last in the number of charge and discharge cycles? The higher the charging voltage (above 4.2V) the shorter the lifespan and the higher the chance of overcharging and overheating. And the same goes for the minimum battery voltage. Do you discharge the battery to 3.0V, 2.8V or even lower? This affects the capacity calculation but has negative consequences for the lifespan. These tests are usually done by the battery manufacturer itself.
Specs
However, like safety testing, there is little demand for it in the industry. How are specs recorded and specified? The specs should provide clarity to the customer, but the correct provision of information is sometimes lacking. Action from the industry is needed to create more awareness about safe batteries and battery storage.
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