Jan 13, 2021 Pageview:944
Lithium-ion batteries are the most commonly used batteries worldwide. They are used mainly in mid-range appliances like laptops, mobile phones, and wireless telephones. They are used so much because of their high capabilities. While their capabilities are high, they are prone to swelling. This has caused a lot of disdain to customers, who wonder why this happens and if there are ways for them to fix it.
We should be aware of the fact that prevention is key. Since we are looking for a solution to the swelling problem, we need to first understand what causes that problem. The causes for swelling can be divided into 2 subcategories explained below.
The General Cause
The general cause can be understood as what happens on the surface level that leads to this swelling. It is elaborated as follows:
1.When the battery is left on charge for too long, too much electricity is stored within the battery.
2.The extra electricity causes various reactions (technical causes), that leads to the swelling.
3.In short, the swelling is caused by overcharging a battery.
Technical Causes
The technical causes of the swelling can be understood as the science that occurs within the battery, that leads to this type of swelling. In short, they are the result of overcharging. The technical causes are discussed as follows:
?Unwanted reactions between electrodes and electrolytes cause an imbalance within the battery that leads to swelling. As we have discussed in the general cause, this imbalance is the result of too much electricity being directed to the battery.
?The unwanted reaction leads to the release of gases that ultimately cause the battery to swell when those gases move out of the battery.
?These reactions lead to the contamination of waste particles within the battery. These particles occupy more space, which causes the battery to swell.
To culminate, if you want to prevent the swelling at all costs, you just need to make sure that you do not overcharge your battery. In other words, keep close watch of your charging battery, and take it off as soon as the charge reaches 100%.
To see if the swollen batteries are dangerous or not, we have to see the swelling from both aspects. We can then take an appropriate ratio to conclude if it is dangerous or not. This will help us determine our immediate reaction if we happen to come across a swollen battery.
Ways Swollen Batteries are Dangerous
The ways swollen batteries are dangerous are as follows:
?With more than needed charge in the battery, when this electricity reaches the components of your device it has the potential to damage those components. It could lead to the burning or malfunctioning of those components.
?There is generally a specified space for a battery in a typical device, and if the battery swells up, it starts breaking the device from the inside to make up for that required space.
?In the older versions of Lithium-Ion batteries, overcharged (i.e., swollen) batteries could potentially explode, sending shrapnel all around.
Ways Swollen Batteries are not Dangerous
The ways swollen batteries are not dangerous are as follows:
?Generally, some lithium-ion batteries start malfunctioning if you overcharge them. That means they will significantly reduce functionality, and will not lead to other problems.
?Lithium-ion batteries in new devices do not explode anymore. This is the result of newer technological strategies that are being employed in these batteries.
The definite conclusions we can make from this discussion are as follows:
?The ideal position is to better be safe than sorry. In other words, if you have a swollen battery, you should do something about it, because it may lead to unwanted consequences and hence, even greater regrets, even if the chances are low.
?If you are using older versions of smartphones, then you should do something about it immediately.
?If you are using a newer version of the smartphone, then you may have some space to relax. However, even in this case, take an action as soon as possible.
Here are some things that you can do if your Lithium battery is swollen:
Cease the Charging Process
As soon as you notice (or fear) that your Lithium Battery is swollen, you should stop charging it. Once the battery starts swelling or gets close to that point, things start to get bad fast, and swift action is required to avoid any undue harm to individuals, the battery, or the device the battery is being used upon.
Safely Remove the Battery
You should use appropriate means to remove the battery. That means you should first turn off your device, open up the screws of the casing properly, and take out the battery, preferably with all safety measures intact. This will allow for safe removal, and will not damage your device or the components of that device.
Properly Dispose of the Battery
If the battery is genuinely swelling, there is nothing you can do about it. And do remember you cannot just throw it in the bin. Battery removal has a proper procedure, and you will have to follow your local guidelines to do so. You most probably will have to hand over the battery to an authorized organization.
Replace it with New Batteries
Since you have disposed of your previous battery, now what you need to do is to buy a new battery. Just make sure the battery you get as a replacement is the same as the one you used before because that is what suits you the best for your device.
It is unfortunate that there is nothing that you can do about Lithium-ion batteries instead of replacing them. But take solace at the fact that these batteries are not expensive, generally, so you will not have a problem buying them again.
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