Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life
In a world that’s always on the go, lithium-ion batteries are the silent energy source keeping our devices and lives running smoothly. But despite their widespread use, there are still dangerous fires risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
Here, we discuss the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and their potential to cause a lithium-ion battery fire.
Damaged lithium-ion batteries can become unstable, posing a potential fire risk where compromised battery cells overheat and cause a state known as thermal runaway. There are numerous ways in which lithium-ion batteries can become damaged:
Put simply, thermal runaway is an uncontrollable, self-heating state only stoppable through the removal of chemicals or heat. This process is triggered as a result of damage caused to lithium-ion batteries.
Thermal runaway occurs when the battery temperature reaches 60°C or more, at which point large amounts of toxic and flammable gases are released and a sharp rise in temperature occurs.
Very soon after, the gases burst the battery and almost always ignite. This fire then rapidly propagates across all the cells in the battery, causing thermal runaway in otherwise undamaged cells.
The explosive nature of the molten metal and the degree of collateral fires it causes is huge, causing peripheral fires to spread to surrounding areas.
increase in fires by exploding batteries in e-scooters and e-bikes in 2021
of all waste fires occurring in the UK each year
cost to the UK economy annually with the occurrence of waste fires
people injured by e-bike and e-scooter fires
fires each week are started by chargers, batteries and cables
fires recorded in the UK were linked to electric vehicles
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