Researchers use liquid nitrogen to freeze waste batteries to improve transportation safety

Posted 2023-08-31 00:00:00 +0000 UTC

(photo source: Official Website of Huawei University) when the car battery is defective and damaged, it needs to be transported in an explosion-proof box with high price, and the transportation cost is very high. According to foreign media reports, researchers from Warwick University, in cooperation with Land Rover engineers, use liquid nitrogen to refrigerate during transportation, effectively reducing related costs and improving safety. When transporting batteries, such as typical batteries, the explosion-proof box used is about 10000 euros, and it needs another 10000 euros for UN certification. Researchers at Warwick University say it costs just a few hundred pounds to transport in plastic containers. In addition, they stressed that low-temperature freezing will not reduce the capacity of lithium-ion batteries, nor affect the battery cycle or service life, making transportation safer. This study is supported by Jaguar Land Rover. The purpose of using the explosion-proof box to install the battery is to prevent the thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery, because the overheated battery may cause violent explosion and produce toxic gas. In contrast, quick freezing of the battery eliminates the risk of explosion and allows the battery to be safely transported in a plastic box. The researchers tested the battery's activity before and after freezing it with liquid nitrogen. In order to test the safety, a nail was used to pierce the frozen battery. After verification, the performance of the frozen battery is not affected. When the battery is transported by truck, the container temperature shall be kept at - 35 ℃. With the method of freezing, the number of packages used is significantly less than that of explosion-proof boxes, which is more sustainable. Dr. Thomas Grandjean, University of Warwick, said: "the process of transporting defective batteries is not only expensive, but also unsustainable. If liquid nitrogen refrigeration is used, thousands of pounds can be saved to help electric vehicle manufacturers improve sustainability. "

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