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Thursday, September 07, 2006
Ng: Battery care
By Wilson Ng
Wired Desktop
A few weeks ago, Dell recalled over four million batteries. A few days later, Apple announced that it will recall a million or so batteries. Why?
The thing to note is that the batteries that power our notebooks, phones and cameras are made of lithium ion —which has some inherent risks.
Lithium ion technology came into use in the late 1990s. It allowed more power to be packed in a smaller space - the batteries are lighter, smaller and last longer. Lithium ion is unlike nickel cadmium; charging it before it is drained does not reduce its life span.
However, chemicals in lithium ion batteries are hazardous and can be harmful if not properly maintained or disposed of.
Lithium is a metal that burns spontaneously when exposed to air, and explodes in the presence of water.
The danger occurs when a chemical reaction that generates electricity also causes the release of oxygen. If there is heat, the oxygen therefore may combine with organic solvent, and result in a combustion or fire.
Inside the lithium ion batteries, there are protective circuits that prevent these from happening. But when these circuits fail (probably the reason for the recall by Apple and Dell) or when there is physical damage to the battery, then the batteries become a potential hazard when overcharged or overheated.
Despite these risks, we currently don’t have alternatives so we have to make do. We are currently hitting the limits of electronics in terms of being able to squeeze more power per gram, and packing more chemicals in may cause additional hazards.
Of course, we can always make bigger batteries. But then that would make cell phones and notebook computers heavier.
Lately, the International Air Transport Association ordered a ban on batteries with more than eight grams of lithium on aircraft.
What is left for us to do is to handle batteries with extra care. We have to avoid damaging the circuits of the battery or overheating the device. We must also be careful not to overcharge batteries. It is also best to remove the battery when using the laptop while connected to a power source for a long time.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 7, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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