Introduction
Household batteries are essential for powering a variety of everyday devices, from remote controls and flashlights to smartphones and smoke detectors. Household batteries are generally safe when used correctly, but improper use can result in serious consequences such as explosions.
Types of household batteries
Household batteries come in a variety of types, each with specific characteristics and uses:
Alkaline batteries: commonly used in remote controls, flashlights, and toys.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries: used in smartphones, laptops, and other rechargeable devices.
Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries: used in rechargeable household items such as cordless phones and power tools.
Lithium primary batteries: used in devices such as cameras and smoke detectors.
Causes of battery explosions
Overcharge: When a battery is charged for too long or at too high a voltage, a large amount of heat is accumulated inside, which may cause dendrite short circuits, causing the temperature and pressure inside the battery to continue to rise.
Short circuit: During the use of the battery, the battery diaphragm is damaged due to external factors or internal material problems, causing a short circuit and internal heat accumulation.
Overheating: When the battery is operated in a high temperature environment or has poor heat dissipation, it may cause thermal runaway, that is, an uncontrollable exothermic reaction occurs inside the battery.
Mechanical abuse: When the battery is hit, squeezed or punctured, it may cause damage to the internal structure and cause an internal short circuit.
Electrical abuse: Such as external short circuit, overcharge, over discharge, high current charging or low temperature charging, etc., which may cause the battery to short circuit.
Thermal abuse: When the battery is operated in a high temperature environment, such as heating, exposure to the sun, etc., it may cause the battery temperature to be too high and cause thermal runaway.
Design and manufacturing defects: Improper battery design or defects in the manufacturing process may cause safety hazards in the use of the battery.
Chemical and material problems: The unstable chemical composition of the battery or material quality problems may cause abnormal reactions during charging or discharging.
Improper use: Using non-original chargers, charging for too long, battery aging, etc. may increase the risk of battery explosion.
Safety characteristics of batteries
Thermal stability: The battery should be able to remain stable under overheating conditions to avoid thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is the runaway of the chemical reaction inside the battery, which causes a sharp rise in temperature and may cause fire or explosion.
Mechanical stability: The battery should be able to withstand certain mechanical shock and vibration without short circuiting or rupture.
Electrical stability: The battery should remain safe under electrical abuse conditions such as overcharge, over discharge or short circuit.
Chemical stability: The electrolyte and other chemicals of the battery should be stable enough to prevent reactions under extreme conditions.
Separator stability: The separator inside the battery should prevent direct contact between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing lithium ions to pass through. The temperature resistance and chemical resistance of the separator are critical to battery safety.
Battery management system (BMS): The BMS can monitor the status of the battery, prevent overcharge, over discharge, and take measures to protect the battery when abnormalities are detected.
Design and manufacturing quality: The design of the battery should take safety into consideration, including measures to prevent internal short circuits and overheating, as well as high-quality manufacturing processes.
Environmental adaptability: The battery should be able to operate safely within a certain temperature range, including high and low temperature environments.
Life and aging management: The safety performance of the battery may deteriorate during long-term use and aging, and proper management and maintenance are required.
Fire and explosion-proof features: Batteries should have certain fire and explosion-proof designs to reduce risks in extreme situations
Precautions for safe use of batteries
Proper charging practices
Use chargers designed for specific types of batteries.
Unplug the device after fully charging to avoid overcharging.
Do not leave charging devices unattended, especially overnight.
Safe storage
Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Place batteries in their original packaging or battery case to prevent short circuits.
Handling and use
Avoid dropping or puncturing batteries.
Do not mix old and new batteries or different types of batteries in the same device.
Replace batteries as soon as they show signs of damage or excessive wear.
Watch for signs of malfunction
Watch for warning signs such as unusual heat, swelling, leakage, or odor.
Immediately stop using any device that shows these signs and remove the battery as safely as possible.
Conclusion
Household batteries are safe when used correctly and properly maintained. However, they do pose certain risks if used improperly. By understanding how batteries work, why they explode, and safe usage guidelines, we can effectively reduce these risks and ensure family safety.
