Lithium Batteries: The Advantages And How To Pack Them In Traveling

Lithium batteries are currently the most used in electronic equipment that need to be charged several times, such as smartphones, laptops, among others. Next, we will introduce you to the six main advantages of lithium batteries.

The first battery of its kind appeared in 1912, but only in 1970 began to be marketed. They are currently in millions of pieces of equipment, some of which we use daily.

Moreover, despite the different lithium batteries that exist, the differences lie essentially in the composition of the material, most sharing a number of characteristics. The following are the main advantages of lithium batteries over other rechargeable batteries:

Advantages of Lithium Batteries

1. Smaller and lighter – As they are lighter and smaller, these batteries are more practical for electronic devices such as smartphones, where weight and design are relevant factors.
2. High Power Density – The lithium power battery has a higher power density than other rechargeable batteries. This means that they can have a high power without having to be too bulky.
3. Reduced Self-Discharge – This type of battery has a self-discharge rate of about 1.5% per month. Compared to the average 20% per month of nickel metal hydride (or NiMH) batteries, lithium batteries have a much longer life.
4. Memory effect is approximately zero – This is the phenomenon that causes the commonly known “addicted batteries”. This occurs when rechargeable batteries lose their maximum power capacity when recharged after being only partially discharged. This memory effect is common in rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries such as NiCd and NiMH.
5. Fast Charging – Charging lithium batteries is much faster than other rechargeable batteries.
6. Longer life – A lithium battery can usually handle hundreds of charge-discharge cycles. To get an idea, some lithium batteries need 1000 cycles to lose 30% capacity, while some more advanced lithium batteries can handle 5000 cycles and still maintain excellent capacity.

Packaging lithium batteries for traveling

Stricter rules for carrying electronic devices that use lithium-ion batteries, including laptops and mobile devices, will come into force. The rules are designed to prevent lithium-ion batteries used in rechargeable devices from accidentally igniting due to pressure or impact on aircraft cargo compartments. Devices containing these batteries also include tablets and electric shavers.

The rules require passengers to turn off their electronic devices, wrap them in several layers of thick cloth, and place them in solid compartments, such as bags, before dispatching them for flight. The international council plans to introduce stricter standards to prevent accidents caused by the batteries in question.

In August 2016, a smartphone battery began to smoke in a plane departing from Hokkaido Shin Chitose Airport, bound for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, forcing an emergency landing.

Lithium batteries have many advantages but special attention must be given especially when we take flights. This is in line with related regulations issued by airlines in the world for better security. Hopefully this article is useful. Thank you for reading!

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