Why do lithium batteries swell And what to do with swollen lithium battery?
Because of their high efficiency and long lifespan, lithium-ion batteries are commonly used to power electronic devices. Lithium batteries, like human beings, have flaws.
A lithium-ion battery may swell, as you may have heard or observed yourself. I think there are still some questions in your mind. This article will cover all you need to know about bloated batteries.
Allow me to dissect them one by one.
Why Lithium Ion Battery is bulging?
The positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte make up the core components of a lithium-ion battery.
When batteries age naturally, expansion is a common side effect. Age also causes short circuits, which in turn produce heat and gas as a byproduct. However, this phenomenon might be triggered by a wide variety of reasons. Lithium battery expansion is influenced by numerous variables, including but not limited to battery quality, battery using methods, environment, and so on.
The following are some of the three-pronged causes of battery expansion.
Okay, so let's begin.
Low manufacturing level
1. Poor packaging: air moisture into the cell during the production process, causing the degradation of the electrolyte to create gas.
2. There's too much water in the cell; the electrolyte will stop working properly if the amount of water in the cell rises above the acceptable range.
3. corrosion occurs in the lithium battery's core, consuming the aluminum coating and negating the battery's ability to prevent the passage of liquids and gases.
Improper battery utilization
Lithium battery internal short circuit causes the isolation film to constrict, curl, damage, and burr. When the isolation film is broken, disruptions inside the system become more likely. Because of this, lumps may form.
The input voltage will be off if we utilize a faulty, incompatible, or subpar charger. If the battery's voltage is too high or too low, the active substance on the lead plates will shut off, resulting in continued heating
.
l Environment factors
Excessive Heat
When a battery becomes too hot, the liquid "electrolyte" turns into a gas. If this gas isn't cleared efficiently, pressure builds up inside the battery, causing it to bulge and distort. Since "electrolyte" tends to evaporate in high temperatures, batteries are more prone to swell during the summer.
How to Tell if a Lithium Ion Battery Swells or Not?
l Look
Intended use of battery
1. Have a close look at your battery and make sure all of the surfaces are flat.
Regarding prepared gadgets
1.If the device's form factors
2. if the gadget can be opened with minimal effort
l Sniff
Electrolyte leaks are the source of the odd odor coming from your device. Get rid of it immediately.
How to propose a bulging lithium battery?
The sooner you take care of the problem, whether or not your gadget can function, the better. Take out the battery and replace it if possible.
l Prior to removing
please take note of the following:
Attention!!
Allow the bloated battery to discharge naturally. When the battery is dead, it's safer to take it out.
l During removing
although it is a simple procedure, your presence is required
l After removing
Attention!!
If you'd rather not deal with it yourself out of fear, you may always hire experts. It's a safer option.
Safe tips for lithium batteries
Warnings for Handling
Battery deformation, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from improper handling, which could result in personal injury or malfunctioning machinery. Please take note of the following safety precautions.
l Try Not to Swallow.
Keep the batteries out of the reach of babies and toddlers at all times. If swallowed, seek medical attention right away.
"When installing, make sure the positive and negative terminals are facing the correct way.
If the battery is installed incorrectly, it could cause a short circuit or other problems with the equipment. Damage, leakage, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from this.
l Beware of causing a short circuit.
Avoid a short circuit between the plus and minus terminals at all costs. Never keep the batteries near any metal, including an ecklace or a hairpin. When storing, do not remove batteries from their packaging and stack or jumble them. When installing the battery, take care not to accidentally short it out with any metal parts of the device. Distortion, leakage, overheating, explosion, and fire would be the result of ignoring this.
l Avoid heating a lithium-ion battery.
The internal pressure of the battery may rise if it were heated above 100 degrees Celsius, leading to deformation, leaking, overheating, explosion, or fire.
l Keep away from heat and flames
Lithium metal could melt if exposed to flames, leading to a fire and possible explosion of the battery.
l Don't take the battery apart.
The battery's separator or gasket could be destroyed if you disassemble it, which would cause the battery to distort, leak, overheat, explode, or catch fire.
l Never weld the terminals or attach a wire directly to the battery case.
Lithium could melt if the battery were subjected to the high temperatures generated during welding or soldering or the insulating material could be damaged. Only the tabs or leads of the battery should be soldered to the device. Even so, the soldering iron temperature must be kept below 350 degrees Celsius, and the soldering time must be kept to under 5 seconds. A circuit board with a battery attached could become immobile or fall into a soldering bath, which would be disastrous. Also, avoid using too much solder, as this could cause the solder to flow to unintended areas of the board and cause a short circuit or overcharge of the battery.
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l Keep any battery leakage away from your eyes and mouth.
If any of this liquid gets in your eyes, you should immediately rinse them out with water and see a doctor because of the potential for serious injury. If any of the liquid ends up in your mouth, you should flush it with water and see a doctor right away.
l Avoid starting fires near leaky batteries.
If a leak is detected or a strong odor is present, the battery should be kept away from any open flames in case the leaking liquid ignites.
l Electrodes in batteries must not be touched.
Avoid having any flesh or fingers touch the battery electrodes. Otherwise, the discharge of the battery from the moisture on your skin could produce specific chemical compounds that would cause chemical burns.
-Warnings — Circuit Design
Put no more than 3.3V into the charge setting.
Distortion, leakage, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from charging at a greater voltage due to the production of gas internal short-circuiting, or other problems. See the suggested circuits below for further information.
Never deviate from the nominal currents listed below during charging.
Distortion, leakage, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from excessive current surges that damage the battery's properties. A protection resistor for current regulation should be connected to prevent excessive current from flowing during the charging process's onset. Check out the suggested setups below.
"Suggested Wiring"
Below are some sample elementary circuits to help you get started. Feel free to ask Maxell anything you want about circuit design.
(How to Choose a Current Limiting Resistor)
When the battery is charged to a final voltage of 2V, the maximum charge current goes through the battery. Therefore, the resistor value is determined by the following equation:
If (R) is greater than ((Voltage Regulator Output) - 2)/(Nominal ChargeCurrent), then the voltage regulator is functioning properly.
Seiko Instruments Inc. produces a number of voltage regulators, including the S-812C series (maximum input voltage 18V) and the S-817 series (highest input voltage 10V).
Note 1: If the voltage from the mains is stable, the charge voltage can be allocated by dividing it by the total resistance of the system.
Remember that the battery's height will vary depending on the charge and discharge cycles you put it through, so leave at least 1mm of clearance between the battery and the device or chassis.
Never overcharge the batteries.
The battery may be permanently damaged if its voltage drops below the minimum required value (2.0 V).
Warnings — Disposal
There may be federal or state rules governing the use of the battery. Please abide by the rules and regulations as outlined. Cover the (+) and (-) terminals with friction tape or another insulator when disposing of a battery since the remaining electric capacity may cause deformation, leakage, overheating, or explosion if it comes into touch with other metals.
Caution: Storage and Handling
Ultrasonic sound should never be directed towards a battery.
If the battery is subjected to ultrasonic sound, the internal material may shatter, resulting in a short circuit that could cause distortion, leakage, overheating, explosion, or fire.
Never put the battery through a shocking experience.
Damage to the battery could result from being dropped, thrown, stomped on, or subjected to extreme temperatures.
Make sure you're using a battery that's made for your gadget.
The battery might not work in the device since it was not designed for the environment in which it will be used. According to the equipment's instructions for use, choose the appropriate battery.
Never use the battery or leave it in a hot environment like the sun or a car during the summer.
Distortion, leaking, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from such actions.
Keep the battery away from moisture at all costs!
Rusting, deformation, leaking, overheating, explosion, or fire could result from this.
Never keep the battery in a place where it will get hot and humid.
The battery's efficiency could drop if you do this. There is a risk of distortion, leakage, overheating, explosion, and fire in some settings.
FAQ:
How can I lessen the likelihood of swelling in my Li-ion battery?
Lithium-ion batteries are expanding, can you keep using them?
In fact, keeping on utilizing it is recommended. Keep using it to reduce swelling quickly.
First of all, the bloated battery, like a balloon when it reaches its limit of expansion or when subjected to extreme temperatures, poses a risk of explosion or fire.
Second, due to subpar execution. Battery performance is negatively impacted by swelling. Reduced charging time will have practical implications for our daily lives.
We need to get a new one immediately.
Advice: keep bloated batteries away from heat sources.
Can a lithium-ion battery cure itself if it has swelled?
Nope. Since the bloated battery's gas has nowhere to go and refuses to participate in the chemical reaction associated with charging and discharging, the battery will not naturally deflate.
Can you freeze a lithium-ion battery that has swollen?
Not at all, sorry to say. Putting a bloated battery in the freezer won't do anything but contaminate your beautiful food. Depending on how much the battery expands, its capacity can drop by as much as half.
A lithium battery has swelled; can you fix it?
You should not continue thinking this way. If your battery is removable, you may simply replace the bloated one and you'll be good to go. Another option is just to get a new gadget.
Is There Any Danger in Poking a Bloated Li-ion Battery?
Some individuals think that if they let the gas inside a bloated battery out, the battery would be fixed. It's a fabricated viewpoint. A fire or explosion could happen at any time. Attempt it with caution.
In the absence of a gas mask, of course. Do not let your breath out just yet. Do not breathe the poisonous gas! And you should probably escape.
Will Lithium Battery Expansion Harm Electronics?
In a word, yeah. Your device's structure is such that there is a finite amount of room for a battery. As the battery expands, it will eventually push on other parts of your gadget. This allows us to determine if your battery has expanded to fit your device.
Can a bloated lithium-ion battery be discarded in the garbage?
Obviously not. In order to prevent a fire or explosion, once you have taken out your bloated battery, you should get it recycled. This is a great method to conserve energy and prevent pollution by recycling metals like lithium.
Swollen batteries are nothing to be alarmed about. You can avoid harm if you merely remember what I've already told you.
Could a Lithium Battery Explode If It Got Too Big?
Yes. There's a danger of air pollution, fire, and perhaps explosion. However, provided you don't pierce or otherwise damage bulging batteries, you have nothing to worry about.
Do Lithium Batteries Usually Get So Big?
When a battery ages naturally, it will often swell. It's a sign that its life cycle has completed its cycle. The most we can do is learn from the phenomenon's origins and steer clear of it whenever we can.