Why Do Lithium Batteries Catch Fire?
It’s not uncommon for lithium batteries to cause fires. In fact, it’s not just electric car batteries, but also the mobile phones and tablets we use, new energy vehicles, etc. These machines can operate normally are inseparable from lithium batteries.The emergence of lithium batteries has brought many product innovations, but you must not look it down. If there is insufficient safety awareness, improper disposal in use, storage, disposal, etc. Lithium batteries will become a “time bomb” This is a real case about fire hazard caused by lithium batteries.
Components and structures are unavoidable to be talked about. According to the different forms of lithium in lithium batteries, lithium batteries can be divided into two categories: lithium metal batteries and lithium-ion batteries. Lithium metal batteries use lithium metal as an electrode to generate electrical energy through corrosion or oxidation of lithium metal. The most used form of lithium metal batteries is button batteries, which are mainly used in equipment such as computer boards or car keys. A lithium-ion battery is a kind of rechargeable battery, which mainly relies on lithium ions to be embedded and de-embedded back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes to achieve charge and discharge. When charging, the positive electrode of LI+charge is de-embedded, and the negative electrode is embedded in the electrolyte, and the negative electrode is in a lithium-rich state. The opposite is true when discharging.
UNPROPER HANDLE
Firstly, lithium batteries are a key component of electric bicycles. Even if they are of qualified quality, if lithium battery are used improperly, they may cause fire accidents. For instance, “ some car owners modify the control systems of batteries and motors to improve speed and range. This situation will bring certain hidden dangers to the original line, which is also an mportant cause of fire accidents.”
UNMATCHED CHARGER
Secondly, using a non-original charger or an original charger with a failed overcharge protection device to charge for too long will cause the battery to heat up, bulge and even cause the battery to catch fire and explode.
NO MAINTENANCE IN TIME
In addition, electric bicycles are used for too long will catch fire, too. If li ion batteries are used and get maintenance improperly, the connection lines in the car are prone to aging and loosening, which can easily lead to leakage and poor contact. Once shorted, it is easy to ignite wires, seats, joints and surrounding combustibles. When the lithium-ion battery of an electric bicycle is in use, it may also encounter the influence of some external factors, such as impact, puncture, short circuit, etc. , resulting in safety problems, which in extreme cases affect the stability of the battery, and then deflagration occrs.
USAGE STANDARDS FOR LI ION SAFETY
Generally speaking, the safety problems of lithium-ion batteries are mainly manifested as combustion or even explosion. The root cause of these problems lies in the thermal runaway inside the battery. After the heat of the lithium-ion battery is out of control, the decomposed combustible gas is mixed with the air to form an explosive mixed gas. When the high-temperature particles ejected by the lithium-ion battery are encountered, deflagration will occur in the local space, resulting in the initial stage of the fire is often accompanied by an explosive sound. Therefore, it is necessary to standardize the use of electric vehicles in life：
√ Use original brand chargers with good performance to charge, and stay away from flammable and explosive items when charging.
√ Do not disassemble the charger without authorization, and do not cover the charger shell to ensure ventilation and heat dissipation.
√ Beware of rain, water, moisture or excessive temperature changes in the charger.
√ Riding in an area where the water depth exceeds the central axis of the motor on rainy days can easily cause the motor to enter the water, which poses a safety risk.
