The proper storage of Li-ion rechargeable batteries and lithium batteries presents increasingly major challenges for companies and private individuals. Due to the possible dangers posed by batteries, special care is required here – at the same time, the use of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries in everyday life continues to increase. Whether in smartphones, notebooks, e-bikes, power tools, the storage unit of a PV system, or in electric cars and electric buses, ever more powerful lithium batteries are a fixed part of professional and private life. This makes the safe and proper storage of the batteries all the more important when they are not being used.
- Finding the right storage option for Li-ion rechargeable batteries
- Battery storage boxes / storage containers
- Genius Lio Guard boxes for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Zarges K470 Akku-Safe – the versatile container for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
- Priorit Priopack and Priosmart storage containers
- Battery cabinets – for storage and charging
- Battery safety bins and drums
- How the battery boxes become fireproof / fire-resistant
- Fireproof or fire-resistant containers for batteries?
- PyroBubbles® as filling material in the battery containers – PyroBubbles boxes
- Reinforcement of the battery boxes with fire-resistant construction boards
- The right storage box / battery bag for every battery type
- Store e-bike batteries safely
- Boxes for e-bike batteries / bicycle batteries
- Fireproof boxes for bicycle batteries / batteries from e-bikes
Just as large as the range of applications and capacities of Li-ion rechargeable batteries is the spectrum of storage containers and storage facilities in which the lithium rechargeable batteries can be kept. From small battery storage containers for individual smartphones / notebook batteries to medium-volume battery containers and large containers for batteries in which even extremely powerful Li-ion rechargeable batteries can be stored, the market offers suitable solutions for every user and every application scenario.
Very often, companies or private individuals are looking for a simple, safe, and at the same time inexpensive solution for storing lithium-ion rechargeable batteries without specific requirements being imposed. This is when the various boxes and containers are used – depending on how much storage capacity is needed or, for example, what condition the batteries are in. Intact cells can, for example, be stored in different boxes than defective batteries, which pose a significantly greater danger. When selecting suitable storage containers for Li-ion rechargeable batteries, one can, for example, choose between different volumes (small, medium-sized, and large storage containers), but also according to the material of the storage boxes (plastic battery containers or metal battery containers). If the containers are to be used not only for storage but also for the transport of Li-ion rechargeable batteries, further points must be taken into account when making the selection, for example, which packaging group the containers are approved for (packaging group I or packaging group II).
The boxes in the Lio Guard container series are particularly popular for the storage of Li-ion rechargeable batteries. The different versions of the battery boxes have become favorites with many companies when it comes to transporting intact or defective / damaged lithium-ion rechargeable batteries with the highest level of safety and in compliance with regulations.
The selection of Genius Lio Guard storage containers is particularly large, so that a suitable battery box can be found for every need and everyone. From the small XS box to the M, Storage, or XXL boxes, the manufacturer Genius provides an optimally tailored storage solution for Li-ion rechargeable batteries for every budget and application.
For lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, ZARGES has developed the K470 Akku-Safe as a storage container. In this battery box, up to three lithium batteries / lithium-ion rechargeable batteries under regulation UN3480 can be transported or stored.
In addition to the storage and transport of intact lithium batteries, the K470 Akku Safe from Zarges is particularly suitable for damaged battery cells, which represent a significant source of danger both during transport and storage. This approval makes this container considerably more flexible in use than comparable models.
PRIORIT AG from Hanau has stood for innovative structural fire protection solutions for 20 years and has now also launched containers for battery storage with the Priopack and Priosmart that can be used for many purposes. With attractive pricing, the storage containers are aimed not only at commercial customers but also at private users. The Priosmart charging box for smartphones in particular represents a very special solution for keeping the smartphone in a safe environment during the charging process.
So-called battery safety cabinets offer many advantages over normal battery boxes, especially for commercial users. On different levels, not only can a great many lithium batteries be stored clearly and in a fire-protected manner, but a large number of the battery cabinets are equipped with a power supply so that the batteries can be charged at the same time and are thus perfectly prepared for the next use. From craft businesses to film production and bicycle rental – battery safety cabinets are the best and most efficient option for storing Li-ion rechargeable batteries when simultaneous charging is desired. If, on the other hand, only a pure charging option is needed without the corresponding safety aspects, simple battery charging cabinets can be an option.
When it comes to storing defective batteries, manufacturer CEMO offers a very special solution: with the storage and transport drum for lithium batteries, batteries can be stored safely and transported to the disposal company. Filled with a special extinguishing granulate, the CEMO battery drum provides all necessary safety precautions so that even a battery fire inside the drum would not result in environmental damage. Accordingly, the CEMO storage drum for batteries is also certified according to packaging group I, so that even substances with high hazard potential may be stored and transported.
Particularly important for safe battery storage is comprehensive protection if defects occur within the battery cells and, as a result, thermal reactions up to and including fire occur. Therefore, for many applications, whether in private or commercial settings, sufficient fire protection in battery storage is an important criterion. To achieve fire protection, there are potentially two possibilities: either materials that are fireproof are used directly for the fireproof battery storage boxes, or additional inserts are used in the containers to ensure fire protection. Some fireproof battery boxes also rely on a combination of both, i.e. in addition to the non-combustible materials of the containers, flame-retardant inserts (such as Pyrobubbles® or Vermiculite® in the form of cushions or bulk material) are used.
In everyday language, storage containers for batteries are often called fireproof, but more correctly one should speak of fire-resistant. The various measures improve resistance to high temperatures, which can arise, for example, in a battery fire. Very few boxes are truly fireproof battery storage containers that can withstand a fire without damage and for an unlimited time.
A large proportion of the battery containers presented here are not themselves fireproof; in particular, the plastic models cannot withstand a fire. Suitable fire protection for the storage of Li-ion rechargeable batteries is achieved through the use of specially developed extinguishing granulates inside the boxes as filling material. PyroBubbles® from Genius, one of the best-known extinguishing agents for Li-ion rechargeable batteries, is used, for example, in the boxes of the Lio-Guard series. Either directly as granulate or in the form of filling cushions, the battery storage containers are filled with the PyroBubbles® and the lithium battery to be stored is then embedded in it. These battery storage containers, which are supplied directly with Genius PyroBubbles®, are therefore often referred to as PyruBubbles boxes. Alternative extinguishing granulates / filling materials are available from other manufacturers and are known under the names Extover®, Vermiculite®, etc.
This use of filling materials / extinguishing granulates inside the containers has two advantages at once: on the one hand, the filling ensures that the batteries are optimally embedded and are thus protected, for example, from mechanical shocks, which are a possible cause of a lithium battery becoming a source of danger. On the other hand, the filling materials ensure that the box becomes fireproof or that a possible battery fire is fought directly at the scene and automatically and cannot spread. For example, a burning e-bike battery would be extinguished if it were stored in a storage container filled with extinguishing granulate.
In addition to the use of special filling materials, which simultaneously serve as extinguishing agents for battery fires, some manufacturers resort to further measures in order to increase the fire resistance of the storage containers and thus come closer to the desire for fireproof battery boxes. For example, the plastic containers are reinforced with fire-resistant construction boards so that stability is maintained for a long period even in the event of fire. The manufacturer Priorit is a prime example, successfully implementing this concept in the Priopack battery box.
Since the use of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and lithium batteries has in principle become indispensable in virtually every area of professional and private life today, there are also corresponding boxes and storage options for the different battery types in order to store the Li-ion rechargeable batteries safely when not in use. E-bikes and pedelecs in particular have increased sharply in recent years, being equipped with increasingly powerful batteries, so owners need suitable and predominantly safe containers for the bikes.
The share of e-bikes and pedelecs among sold bicycles is increasing more and more, and what used to be reserved for the older generation now knows no age limit. Even mountain bikes, racing bikes, and much more are finding increasing sales as battery-powered versions. What many owners of e-bikes and pedelecs often forget: with the e-bike battery, you not only get the “built-in tailwind,” but also a powerful energy pack with high energy density that reacts sensitively if stored incorrectly or handled carelessly. Quite a few e-bike batteries have already led to fires, and extinguishing battery fires is often problematic. Accordingly, e-bike batteries should be stored safely in order to minimize the dangers of a lithium battery from the outset.
If you are looking for a safe storage option for the battery of an e-bike or pedelec, two criteria in particular are decisive: on the one hand, the battery must fit into the container, so when buying a battery box, you must keep the dimensions in mind. Equally important is the capacity of the battery. To be protected, especially against fire or other problems, the energy capacity of the battery is of great importance, because the more powerful a Li-ion rechargeable battery is, the greater the potential dangers are.
Depending on the type of battery to be stored and also the number of e-bikes whose lithium batteries are to be stored, different boxes and crates are suitable, some of which are also fireproof. The Zarges K470 Akku-Safe is an established classic in this area, but other manufacturers also offer suitable storage boxes, such as Genius with the Lio-Guard boxes or Priorit with the Priopack battery storage container.
With the large selection of boxes for e-bike batteries, on the one hand one must distinguish between the crates that, taken alone, are not fireproof (such as the plastic boxes from Genius, Priorit, or B&W). In combination with extinguishing granulates such as Pyrobubbles, however, these still offer efficient fire protection for e-bike batteries. Other boxes, in particular the K470 Akku-Safe from Zarges, are in this respect already fireproof on their own as a metal box. Here too, corresponding extinguishing granulates for batteries are supplied, which are also suitable for extinguishing a burning e-bike battery.
