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FM 509274

Employment

Lithium Battery Transportation

Lithium Battery Information

Mandatory Lithium Battery Testing

The UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, Subsection 38.3, establishes the UN T1-T8 Tests that are listed below. These tests must be completed prior to shipment for each lithium cell or battery design. Effective January 1, 2005 all cells and batteries must have completed testing. Compliance is required by all lithium cell manufacturers, battery assembly companies and subsequently, the end-user. Please contact UPSI for further information.

Test T1: Altitude Simulation – Simulates air transport under low-pressure conditions. Store at 11.6 kPa or less for 6 hours at 20°C.

Test T2: Thermal Test – Assesses cell and battery seal integrity and internal electrical connections using thermal cycling to simulate rapid and extreme temperature changes. Perform 10 cycles between 75°C and –40°C, 6 hours per cycle with no more than 30 minutes between cycles, and then observe for 24 hours.

Test T3: Vibration – Simulates vibration during transport. Sinusoidal waveform with a logarithmic sweep between 7 Hz and 200 Hz and back to 7 Hz in 15 minutes. This cycle must be repeated 12 times for a total of 3 hours for each of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions of the cell or battery.

Test T4: Shock – Simulates possible impacts during transport. Half-sine shock of peak acceleration of 150g and pulse duration of 6 milliseconds. Each cell or battery must be subjected to 3 shocks in the positive direction and 3 shocks in the negative direction of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions for a total of 18 shocks.

Test T5: External Short Circuit – Simulates an external short circuit. After stabilizing at 55°C, apply an external resistance of less than 0.1 ohm for 1 hour and then observe for 6 hours.

Test T6: Impact – Simulates an impact. Place a 15.8 mm diameter bar across the sample and then drop a 9.1 kg mass from a height of 61 cm on to the bar, and then observe for 6 hours.

Test T7: Overcharge – Evaluates the ability of a rechargeable battery to withstand overcharge. Charge at twice the manufacturer’s recommended maximum continuous charge current for 24 hours, and then observe for 7 days.

Test T8: Forced Discharge – Evaluates the ability of a primary or a rechargeable cell to withstand forced discharge. Force discharge at an initial current equal to the maximum discharge current specified by the manufacturer, and then observe for 7 days.

UPSI's safety testing program ensures the integrity of every downhole product. Tests included shock, vibration, altitude, high temperature and short-circuit conditions. UPSI has undertaken all required UN testing for its lithium battery products to ensure that our valued clients receive the highest quality and safety rated products available in the downhole battery marketplace.

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Last modified: April 10, 2007