IEC Revising Lithium-Ion Laptop Battery Standard
June 28, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is meeting in October to discuss revisions to the existing standards governing lithium-ion cells and batteries made from them used for laptop computers and other applications.
This is in response to the 2006 computer manufacturers' recall of millions of lithium-ion laptop batteries.
Consumers want smaller, higher capacity, quick charging batteries and, in working to meet this demand, manufacturers face many challenges, which could affect safety should the battery suffer mishandling or inappropriate use, said the IEC.
The 2006 computer recall occurred when complaints surfaced about the potential for a small percentage of the batteries to overheat.
Increased demands on battery life, battery power and charging time show there is a need to develop enhanced abuse tests and robust battery designs to meet demanding applications, said the IEC.
The increased power and quick charging demands of applications are stretching the limits of current international standards so users may experience more battery issues in the future if those limitations are not addressed.
The IEC said its technical committee is working to address safety questions relating to batteries and to develop globally relevant revised safety requirements for the future.
The IEC technical committee will review the IEC standard that covers this technology - IEC 62133 - Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary cells, and for batteries made from them, for use in portable applications.
"While some organizations have moved ahead with their own standards, not all of these have global acceptance and, as such, they have not necessarily considered the larger international implications of their standards," said Steve Wicelinski of Duracell, IEC project leader.
"The IEC is investing the time necessary to reach a global consensus that better meets the needs of consumers and (original equipment manufacturer) OEM battery users worldwide."
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To ensure safety and reliability of lithium-ion batteries into the foreseeable future, the IEC will study current and future applications and will extrapolate what demands may lay beyond the horizon. The upcoming meeting will address these concerns and others as the IEC moves forward on developing recommendations for a revised standard.
Source: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).