Battery Power - May/June 2012 - (Page 16)

Feature Second Edition of IEC 62133: The Standard for Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-Acid Electrolytes is in its Final Review Cycle Cindy Millsaps, President and CEO Energy Assurance The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Subcommittee 21A, which is responsible for secondary cell and battery standards, has recently completed work on the Second Edition of IEC 62133, the standard for Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes. This standard covers rechargeable Nickel cells and batteries, as well as lithium ion (Li-Ion) cells and batteries. The new revision of IEC 62133 is expected to be issued in early 2012. The Second Edition will have some very significant changes for Li-Ion cell and battery manufacturers. In this article we will review the significant changes related to Li-Ion cells. Part I of the article will examine the proposed changes for cells and Part II the proposed changes for battery packs related to Li-Ion products. Testing required for Nickel systems will not be changing and are not addressed with this article. The changes related to Li-Ion cells fall into three categories: • Removal of testing that is redundant with other standards • Modifications to existing tests • Completely new requirements Removal of Testing that is Redundant with Other Standards The revisions in the proposed Second Edition of IEC 62133 have the most impact on Li-Ion cell manufacturers. The required testing as well as the test conditions have been completely revamped. They include a test that is not currently standard in the industry and has questionable repeatability. On a more positive note, the committee did take into consideration that testing done in accordance with the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Section 38.3 (UN38.3 testing), was redundant in the first edition of the standard and has removed some of this testing as a result. Part I: Cells The simplest and most straight forward changes are those that removed testing that was redundant with other standards. The main focus here was the removal of items covered under the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (UN 38.3). This change makes perfect sense because the UN 38.3 testing is mandatory globally in order to ship Li-Ion product by air or sea, and in most countries by ground as well. The tests planned for removal are: • Vibration • Temperature Cycling • Mechanical Shock • Low Pressure (Altitude Simulation) • Cell Protection Against High Rate Charging (not a UN 38.3 test) With the removal of these tests, the proposal does include a new paragraph that mentions the need to comply with the current appropriate transportation regulations and testing requirements. It allows for the fact that these requirements may change over time and permits for presentation of customer documentation to verify compliance. This maintains the ability of the manufacturers to comply with shipping regulations with a selfdeclaration and does not unnecessarily create a more stringent certification requirement. Advancements in Thermal Management 2012, a symposium for engineers and product developers, will feature presentations on advancements for electronics packaging and cooling, temperature sensing and control, thermal materials, systems design and management for optimizing thermal properties. www.thermalnews.com 16 Battery Power • May/June 2012 www.BatteryPowerOnline.com http://www.thermalnews.com http://www.infowebcom.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Battery Power - May/June 2012

Battery Power - May/June 2012
New Battery Interface Specification to Address Key Consumer and Manufacturers’ Issues
Demand Spike for Backup Power Systems Stokes Growth in the Global Stationary Lead Acid Battery Market
Battery Management Considerations for Large Cell Count Systems
Flywheel Energy Storage – A UPS Battery’s Best Friend
Zero-Volt: Medical and Satellite Battery Technology Can Help Improve Safety of Electric Vehicles
Second Edition of IEC 62133: The Standard for Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-Acid Electrolytes is in its Final Review Cycle
Batteries
ICs and Semiconductors
Charging & Testing
Components
Power Supplies
Industry News
Marketplace
Calendar of Events
Research and Development

Battery Power - May/June 2012