A quick guide to lithium-ion batteries
To understand the risk, you need to know a little bit about Lithium batteries...
What is the difference between a lithium battery and a lithium-ion battery?
According to the Battery University, a Lithium battery has lithium-metal electrodes and is generally non-rechargeable.
With a single cell Lithium battery, once the cell has released all of its energy, the battery has finished its life.
Lithium-metal batteries are usually used to power devices such as watches, calculators, temperature data loggers, car key fobs, flashlights, and defibrillators.
However, a Lithium-ion battery (also known as a Li-ion battery) is rechargeable, often without the need to remove it from the device.
Lithium-ion batteries power devices such as mobile telephones, laptop computers, tablets, cameras, and power tools.
There are three types of cells within a battery – cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch cells.
Many cells in a battery make a module and many modules will make a battery, dependent on size, from 10 plus cells in small Lithium-ion batteries to over 7000 cells that are placed within an EV such as a Tesla.
So, why are Lithium-ion batteries a fire risk?
Lithium-ion batteries are small and lightweight but are capable of storing a large amount of energy.
As a result of these characteristics, they are volatile under stress, therefore, if damaged or incorrectly charged they can be a fire risk.
Warning signs that a lithium-ion battery pack or cell is likely to fail include the battery appearing to bulge or swell, sometimes accompanied by other signs such as discharging too fast and/or the battery is hot to the touch.
Once a battery fails or ‘runs away’ the cells usually start to give off smoke.
Thermal runaway is the chemical process within the lithium-ion battery, it produces heat and flammable toxic chemical gases very quickly, often before any flame appears.
Characteristics of Lithium-ion batteries
Capable of storing a large amount of energy
Small & Lightweight = VOLATILE UNDER STRESS = FIRE RISK
Explore our Lithium-ion Battery Safety Range
Our Firechief® Lithium-ion Battery Safety Range includes:
- Lithium-ion Battery Fire Extinguishers,
- fire blankets,
- suppression kits,
- fire-resistant containers.
These products are designed to put out and keep out Lithium-ion battery fires. For more guidance on what to use on certain applications, see our product finder.