What causes a lithium ion battery to explode?

Overcharging. Charging a lithium-ion battery beyond its capacity can cause excessive heat buildup, leading to thermal runaway. This can cause the battery to catch fire or explode. Overheating. High temperatures can destabilise the chemical structure of the battery, potentially leading to a thermal runaway.

What causes a lithium battery fire?

Lithium battery fires typically result from manufacturing defects, overcharging, physical damage, or improper usage. These factors can lead to thermal runaway, causing rapid overheating and potential explosions if not managed properly.

What happens if a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out?

When a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out, the damage can be extensive. These fires are not only intense, they are also long-lasting and potentially toxic. What causes these fires? Most electric vehicles humming along Australian roads are packed with lithium-ion batteries.

What happens if a lithium battery goes bad?

This can occur due to improper handling, short-circuited devices, or faulty battery packs. When a lithium battery experiences an external short circuit, it can lead to rapid overheating and thermal runaway. The excessive current flow causes significant heat buildup, which can quickly lead to a fire or explosion.

Are lithium ion batteries dangerous?

Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, storing significant energy in a compact space, making fires intense and hard to control. Overheating in one cell can trigger a chain reaction, leading to a rapid and uncontrollable temperature rise (called ‘thermal runaway’), potentially causing explosions or fires.

How many lithium-ion battery fires have happened in Australia?

This month we have had at least two large lithium-ion battery fires in Australia – one in the Sydney airport car park and another one more recently at the Bouldercombe battery storage site in Queensland. When a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out, the damage can be extensive.