Transporting Lithium Batteries: how to do it safety
The exponential rise in demand for lithium batteries has made it essential to update regulations, aiming to improve their transport management. In today’s world, energy drives nearly all human activities, from agriculture to heavy industry, services to personal technology; there is no sector untouched by this relentless demand. Added to this scenario is the industrial electrification sector, which is undergoing significant growth, propelled by increasingly stringent global sustainability policies and the clear benefits of energy transition.
In recent years, the term “electrification” has often been linked to lithium batteries. Initially used in computing and small tools, lithium battery technology has expanded to electrifying hybrid and electric vehicles, with a growing number of industrial and electric vehicle companies adopting this technology for fleet and facility electrification. This increased demand has underscored the importance of “internationalizing” these products, leading to a significant rise in trade flows and the need for specific regulations to ensure optimal management of lithium battery transport.
Transporting Dangerous Goods: The Case of Lithium Batteries
The safety of lithium batteries is a key concern for users, affecting all phases of the supply chain, including transport. Various lithium-based chemistries are currently available on the market, each with specific characteristics that make them suitable for certain applications. Besides chemistry, the Battery Management System (BMS) plays a crucial role in the performance of a lithium battery. An advanced BMS optimizes the characteristics of the chosen chemistry, ensuring reliability and consistent performance by managing the devices connected to the battery. Characteristics like C-Rate, thermal stability, and specific energy are associated with risks that range from thermal to chemical, electrical, and kinetic.
As a result, lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods, similar to chemical or flammable substances, and may be transported via various modes (road, sea, rail, air), following specific regulations to ensure proper handling and protection during transport and storage to prevent incidents like fires. Consequently, both national and international transport of lithium batteries is subject to specific European regulations and special packaging requirements.
Rules for Transporting Lithium Batteries
When properly certified and packaged, lithium batteries can be shipped by land, sea, rail, or air. However, medium and large batteries are not accepted for air cargo transport. Dangerous goods must meet the criteria outlined in the United Nations’ Manual of Tests and Criteria, which includes detailed regulations for the safe handling of shipments. Except for prototypes or small experimental series, UN 38.3 certification is essential for safely transporting batteries, avoiding penalties or customs delays, and ensuring that transportation is risk-free.
UN 38.3 certification demonstrates that batteries have passed a series of rigorous tests conducted by an approved independent center, ensuring the safety of battery packs and cells during transport. These tests include altitude simulation, thermal tests, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact, overcharge, and forced discharge—each designed to assess the batteries’ resilience under extreme conditions, ensuring they pose no risks of mass loss, venting, disassembly, rupture, fire, or significant voltage changes.
Battery Summary Test: The Battery’s Passport
Once batteries are confirmed to comply with the regulations in Section 38.3 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria, it is crucial to ensure that the supporting shipment documentation is accurate and complete. Since 2020, the latest manual revision requires that each transportable battery be accompanied by a Battery Summary Test, a document summarizing all identifying information and tests passed, facilitating identification and ensuring safe transport.
Classification and Regulation of Lithium Battery Transport
Lithium battery transport, as the one of all dangerous goods, follows specific regulations based on the chosen shipping method, whether European or international, and imposes obligations and responsibilities on all parties involved. These regulations detail classification criteria, packaging, transport conditions, labeling, documentation, and suitable vehicle types.
Lithium batteries are classified under Class 9: Various Hazardous Materials and can be divided into rechargeable (generally lithium-ion) and non-rechargeable (single-use) batteries. Additional distinctions are based on packaging types: individual batteries, batteries with a device, or batteries installed within the device. UN codes (UN3480 for unpackaged or uninstalled lithium-ion batteries and UN3481 for those contained in or installed in a device) facilitate the global identification of dangerous goods.
Besides classification, it’s essential to provide carriers with additional information such as weight, dimensions, capacity, and battery status. Special attention must be given to battery condition, which can range from new to damaged, destined for disposal or recycling, severely damaged, or prototypes. Depending on the condition, special packaging may be required to ensure safety during transport.
In summary, the safe and compliant handling of lithium batteries during transport requires a deep understanding of current regulations and careful preparation of materials, ensuring that all safety measures are respected to protect both goods and the people involved in the process.
