There’s a new standard – IEC 62660-3 – that covers the safety requirements for lithium-ion batteries used in cars. Here’s the title: “Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles – Part 3: Safety requirements.” This standard supports the use of IEC 62660-1, IEC 62660-2, ISO 12405-1 and ISO 12405-2, all on quality for lithium-ion batteries. But the IEC 62660-3 is different from them. It directly addresses safety criteria at the cell level.
Why issue such a standard? Automobile battery packs come in different configuations. So there is a need for a basic level of safety test methodology. The IEC 62660-3 provides this using criteria with general versatility. You’ll use it for common primary testing of these types of lithium-ion cells.
Where are these types of batteries used? Secondary lithium-ion cells and cell blocks are used in battery electric vehicles and in hybrid electric vehicles. There are other standards that are being developed for battery packs used for motorcycles and mopeds. And similarly, standards are being developed for industrial applications like forklifts, golf carts, and so on.
Information on a variety of tests is included in IEC 62660-3. You’ll find information on test conditions, including the measuring instruments to use, tolerances and test temperatures. The tests themselves include electrical measurement and a number of safety tests. You’ll find information on mechanical tests like vibration, shock, and crush. Thermal tests like temperature cycling and high temperature endurance are also included. There are electrical tests for short circuiting, overcharge, forced discharge and internal short circuits.
Two informative Annexes and a 9-item bibliography complete the document. The Annexes cover the operating “region” of cells for safe use and additional information on the internal short-circuit test.
When new technologies and applications start to gain traction, it is of paramount importance that safety considerations are top-of-mind. Certainly, there is a degree of risk involved in the use of these lithium-ion batteries, particularly with temperature concerns. So a standard like IEC 62660-3 is of great value to the mobility industry.
If you need a copy of this new standard for your work, please order from Document Center Inc. We are an authorized distributor of all IEC publications. You can search for and order them on our webstore, www.document-center.com. Here’s a direct link to the order page for IEC 62660-3 for your convenience.
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