Ryan Aalund and Michael G. Pecht
CALCE, Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
Abstract:
The industry demand for high-capacity cells with a small footprint is a result of demands for improved products and new applications. However, this presents challenges in terms of safety. Whilestandards, such as UL 1642, have been developed for battery safety assessment, including impact testing,this paper shows that cell manufacturers are facing difficulties with UL 1642 safety tests. This is leadingto alterations in the test procedures, where ‘golden samples’ are tested, while production cells cannot passthe safety tests. This is a flaw in the process that is being accepted by UL. This paper reviews the UL1642 standard and similar standards used in portable electronics, provides experimental support for theconcerns, and presents recommendations.