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Ensuring Lithium Ion Battery Safety in Japan PDF
Ensuring Lithium Ion Battery Safety in Japan PDF
www.japanindustrynews.com /2016/11/ensuring-lithium-ion-battery-safety-japan/
TV Rheinland Japan
With their large output and long service life, lithium ion batteries
power a broad variety of products from smartphones to electric
vehicles. At the same time, there are frequent reports of safety
problems that come with these batteries. Just recently, a South
Korean smartphone manufacturer has garnered much unwanted
attention in the media due its phones catching fire.
In 1800, Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist, created a battery. Then, in 1859, the lead-acid storage battery, or
wet-cell battery, was invented. The prototype of a dry-cell battery was invented in 1868. The wide range of
batteries available today gradually appeared through a series of improvements to these two basic types.
It is said that a wet-cell battery was created by Shozan Sakuma in Japan in the 19th century. After that, Sakizo
Yai invented a dry-cell battery during the Meiji era (18681912). After the end of the SinoJapanese War (1894
95), some newspapers reported that The winning of the war was due entirely to the invention of the dry-cell
battery. The first lithium ion battery was commercialized by a Japanese manufacturer in 1991.
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In recent years, the public has become concerned about the issue of lithium ion battery safety. Since these
batteries are widely used in many devices in our immediate environment, we want them to be absolutely safe.
Efforts are constantly being made by researchers and manufacturers to improve lithium ion batteries and make
them safer.
This year, in 2016, it was reported that South Korean-made smartphones had caught fire. Following these
reports, attention was again drawn to the safety of high-performance lithium ion batteries.
The advent of smartphones has rapidly accelerated the use of mobile devices. There is increased demand for
more compact products with longer running time. The development of a safer and higher-performance battery
has become a crucial issue for battery manufacturers needing to cope with these demands.
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circuit.
In 2008, the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety (DENAN) Law was revised. Following this, the
Regulations for Enforcement of the DENAN Law and the Ministerial Ordinance specifying technical
standards for electrical appliances were also revised. Lithium-ion batteries that fulfill certain requirements
are subject to regulation under the DENAN Law. Manufacturers and importers are subject to the
standards conformance obligations and must ensure that their lithium-ion batteries meet these technical
requirements.
The Partial Revision of Interpretation of DENAN Technical Requirements Ministerial Ordinance was
announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on September 30, 2016. It requires
that the safety of portable lithium ion secondary cells and batteries for use in portable electronic
appliances (sealed compact secondary cells) shall be tested according to the requirements of IEC 62133
(2012), a standard corresponding to JIS C 8712:2015.
Here are some of the safety tests and testing equipment used for lithium ion batteries. The photos show the
testing equipment actually being used in the Kansai Technology Assessment Center (KTAC) of TV Rheinland
Japan Ltd. in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Vibration test
Lithium ion batteries are subject to being vibrated while being transported. The test is performed to check
whether the lithium ion batteries being evaluated will operate safely after repeated vibration.
Impact test
The test checks whether the subject lithium ion battery will operate safely after receiving an impact that does not
result in manifest, apparent damage after being dropped.
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Drop impact tester (left) and vibration tester (right)
The test checks the safety of a lithium ion battery, if a short circuit occurs outside the battery due to misuse of the
product.
A secondary battery undergoes repeated charge and discharge. The test is used to check the safety of the
battery in the event that it is charged excessively or discharged rapidly.
In a crush test, the battery is crushed by the application of strong force. In a nail penetration test, a nail is
pounded into the battery. Each test checks whether the battery overheats, catches fire or explodes after these
types of rough treatment.
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Thermal cycling (thermal shock) test
The test is used to check the safety of a lithium ion battery in high or low temperatures or when subjected to
cycling through two temperature extremes, for example repeated high and low temperature cycles.
The test checks the safety of lithium ion batteries in low-pressure conditions such as experienced in aircraft or in
high-rise buildings.
This is a test based on the possibility that some conductive foreign material might get into a lithium ion battery
and cause a short circuit. A piece of nickel or the like is placed inside a disassembled lithium ion battery, causing
a short circuit, to see what would happen in that event.
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The photo shows a testing room located beyond the half-opened blue door. Test samples are placed inside the
test room. After the inspector sets up the test samples on the testing equipment inside the room, he leaves and
operates the equipment remotely. If the test sample catches fire, the fire will be extinguished automatically. If
smoke or gas is generated, the scrubber system will be activated to purge or remove it.
It is anticipated that the expansion of the market will accelerate even more as the safety of lithium ion batteries
becomes assured.
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Photo credit (top visual): anaken2012/ Shutterstock.com
Photo credit (exploding battery illustration): lineartestpilot/ Shutterstock.com
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