Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries are shipped worldwide with many limitations implemented to ensure safety and to prevent loss of cargo. Many of the transportation guidelines focus on new batteries; however, the shipment requirements for used or degraded batteries are less clear. Current international regulations regarding the air transport of lithium-ion batteries are critically reviewed. The pre-shipping tests are outlined and evaluated to assess their ability to fully mitigate risks during battery transport. In particular, the guidelines for shipping second-use batteries are considered. Because the electrochemical state of previously used batteries is inherently different from that of new batteries, additional considerations must be made to evaluate these types of cells. Additional tests are suggested that evaluate the risks of second-use batteries, which may or may not contain incipient faults.
Highlights
The shipment of lithium-ion batteries poses serious safety concerns especially during air travel.A short circuit in a single cell is capable of creating enough heat to result in cascading failures of adjacent batteries, leading to a catastrophic incident
Because most battery management system (BMS) do not explicitly model the physical phenomena that occur in a cell or battery, lithium plating is typically not detected until there is a noticeable drop in performance or a thermal event
The battery literature contains a wealth of knowledge regarding the potential safety hazards of both new and used lithium-ion batteries; this knowledge has not been fully incorporated into the safety standards
Summary
The shipment of lithium-ion batteries poses serious safety concerns especially during air travel. While lithium-ion batteries are generally protected by redundant safety features and controlled by a battery management system (BMS) that prevents operation at excessive voltages and temperatures during use, the same protection is not practically implemented during transportation of lithium-ion cells. This is problematic when large quantities of batteries are shipped. This paper provides a review of the current international regulations governing the shipment of lithium-ion batteries by air. The shipment of both new and degraded batteries is considered
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