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MARTIN FOLEY DISCUSSES PROTECTION FROM LITHIUM-ION BATTERY FIRES AND EXPLOSION
While lithium-ion battery technology development has advanced over the last few decades, it has also presented new fire and explosion risks. For industrial environments, the proper storage and risk management of lithium-ion batteries is therefore critical. For the purposes of this article, we will address issues associated with small batteries, which are typically used in
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ENERGY,OIL&GAS
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electronic devices and hand tools, and larger format batteries, used in mobile equipment such as lift trucks and vehicles. Each lithium-ion battery consists of cells, in which lithium is the agent for an electrochemical reaction that produces energy. When discharging, lithium ions in the battery cell move from the anode (the negative electrode) to the cathode (the positive electrode) through an electrolytic substance,