Lithium Battery Technology and the Workplace
Lithium battery technology has seen a major increase in consumer adoption. Its comparatively high energy density and price declines make it the dominant battery chemistry for smaller portable and cordless products.
Unlike lead acid batteries, lithium cells are fairly maintenance free and do not need to be regularly cycled or “balanced”. They also recharge faster than other battery types.
Safety Concerns
The safety of lithium-ion batteries has been a significant concern since the introduction of this technology. Though they are more reliable than traditional batteries, a variety of events have limited the growth of this energy storage system. In some cases, fires have caused large battery systems to be grounded by airlines.
The risk of a fire is high due to the presence of a flammable liquid electrolyte. The batteries can also generate high internal pressures. In addition, the cells are susceptible to damage from impact, crushing and abuse. This makes the design and operation of larger ESSs challenging for the energy industry.
Lithium-ion batteries have a long life and offer a high energy density, but they require care and handling to function safely. They are sensitive to over-discharge and under-discharge, overcharging and extreme temperatures. Over-discharge can cause the anode to plate with pure metallic lithium and form a short circuit. The resulting thermal runaway may result in violent venting and fires.
An internal short can also occur in a battery pack. This can be the result of a manufacturing defect or from abusive treatment. Abuse of batteries can include dropping, collision in transit, piercing by tooling and exposure to higher or lower Portable lithium-ion battery temperatures than those the batteries were designed for. This is an area where safety standards and tests are continuously improving.
Fire Hazards
Fires triggered by lithium batteries can be extremely dangerous to humans. They also pose significant risk to the environment as they are disposed of at their end-of-life stage due to thermal runaway and exothermic degradation reactions. Those hazards are growing as lithium-ion batteries are being used in a wide range of portable devices, including mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers and power tools.
Li-ion battery fires are also a real danger to airplane passengers. They can cause cabin fires or even explosions that require the aircraft to make an emergency landing.
When a lithium battery catches fire, it releases not just one blast but an entire series of chain reaction explosions that can result in thermal burns and smoke inhalation. It also creates toxic gases that can damage the interior of the airplane and possibly poison occupants.
As the number of fires caused by lithium batteries rises, firefighters have been asking manufacturers to redesign these battery packs. They want them to be safer and easier to put out.
They have also been calling for better training on how to fight these battery blazes, as well as more effective ways to recycle or dispose of them when they fail.
The best way to combat a small lithium battery fire is with water. The FAA instructs flight attendants to use it in the event of a lithium battery fire on board a commercial airline. The water cools the battery, displaces oxygen and reduces the temperature of the combustion process. Other extinguishing options include foam, ABC dry chemical, powdered graphite and copper powder.
Recyclable Materials
Spent lithium-ion batteries contain valuable metals such as nickel and cobalt, which make them a target for recycling. These materials can be recovered and used to manufacture new batteries, lowering manufacturing costs. Battery specialists and environmentalists say that is just one of the many reasons to recycle lithium batteries.
Recycling can also reduce the need for fresh supplies of critical minerals such as cobalt and graphite. Mining these raw materials is energy intensive and emits toxic fumes that contribute to acid rain.
Battery recycling can also save natural resources such as water and land Portable lithium-ion battery that are used for battery production. This is particularly important since the raw materials for Li-ion batteries are increasingly rare and expensive.
In addition to saving natural resources, recycling can help reduce the amount of e-waste that is sent to landfills and incinerators. Currently, most end-of-life portable batteries are incinerated or sent to landfills, which releases toxic substances into the environment.
However, it is important to remember that not all end-of-life batteries are actually recycled. Many of them are simply shipped to another market as production scrap. These batteries are often pre-processed before they reach the recycler and then separated mechanically into scrap metal and black mass (a mix of cathode and anode materials). Then the batteries are sold for reuse in different applications. This type of international trade is common and is permitted, after a lengthy notification process, under most national waste management laws.
Life Expectancy
From tiny nickel-cadmium button batteries to rechargeable power packs for tools and electronics, there are many different types of batteries that can be used in the workplace. However, new battery technologies like lithium-ion batteries are gaining popularity due to their light weight and long lifespans. These batteries can be found in everything from handheld devices and cordless power tools to electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
When these batteries reach the end of their useful life, they can pose a waste management challenge. If improperly discarded, lithium-ion batteries can leak their electrolyte and damage the environment. They also pose safety risks, as they can ignite if handled incorrectly or exposed to heat.
In order to avoid these issues, you can ensure that your workplace follows best practices for the safe handling and disposal of lithium-ion batteries. Always wear the appropriate PPE (such as goggles, gloves, and an apron) when handling these batteries and be sure to store them in a fire-safe container filled with sand or another chemically inert material.
When it comes to disposal, you must ensure that your facility manages lithium-ion batteries as universal or RCRA-regulated hazardous waste. This is because these batteries may contain hazardous metals that can leach out into the environment when discarded. If you are unsure how to handle and dispose of lithium-ion batteries, consult a waste management professional.