1. Lithium Batteries United Nations Transportation Regulations
Bobby Smith

2. Lithium battery transport regulations
Lithium batteries are considered potentially hazardous
Should they leak, vent, explode or take fire during transport, they may pose a risk to safety => their transport is regulated
Transport regulations tell
How to design batteries
How to test batteries before 1st shipment
Which type of packaging to use
How to label the packaging
Which paperwork to fill

3. All Lithium batteries are concerned
Primary and rechargeable
Whatever their size
Bare cells and complete battery packs
New or depleted
Transported in bulk or packed within a device
The one who ships is the one responsible for the compliance with the regulations

4. The regulation game
A United Nations Sub-Committee of experts on the transportation of dangerous goods defines the rules
Official bodies in charge of specific transport modes or with specific national competence (IATA/ICAO, IMO, ADR, US-DOT) apply the rules to their fields
The Battery Industry may try to lobby… but must comply with the adopted rules

5. What the UN Committee keeps updating
A document about the transport philosophy and general rules: Model Regulations (Rev. 15) (General Rules + Specific Provisions)
A document detailing how to test the Li batteries: Manual of Tests and Criteria (Rev. 4)
May be amended following transport incidents, and/ or proposals made by administrations or the battery industry
The bodies in charge of specific transport modes issue their own documents, …that may differ a little from the UN but they cannot contradict !

6. UN Model Regulations
9 categories defined for potentially hazardous goods
Class 1: Explosives
Class 2: Gases
Class 3: Flammable liquids
Class 4: Flammable solids
Class 5: Oxidizing substances
Class 6: Toxic/infectious substances
Class 7: Radioactive materials
Class 8: Corrosive substances
Class 9: Miscellaneous
Li batteries are normally restricted to transport /assigned to Class 9 but they can be exempted in some cases

7. UN Model Regulations
Li cells and battery packs safety need to be assessed by testing unless they are similar to an already tested model
Positively tested Li batteries are restricted to transport (assigned to Class 9), …unless their Li metal content does not exceed certain limits
Primary Li cells: 1 gram (Li batteries: 2 grams) kg max gross weight per packing, for air transport
Li-ion cells: 20 Wh (Li-ion batteries: 100 Wh) 10 kg max gross weight per packing, for air transport
Battery packs assembled from Class 9 component cells will be Class 9 after positive testing, even if below the Li content limit
Equipment containing class 9 batteries is also Class 9-assigned
In certain cases “prototypes”, “short production runs”, “personal items” may be transported un-tested, after special authorization

8. Prototypes and small production runs
Prototypes and short production runs can be shipped in the US
Short production runs = less than 100 cells/batteries per year
Special authorization CA obtained from US DOT, until 2013
Road, sea,
cargo air
Prototypes of less than 35 kg
Special authorization under negotiation with IATA
Lithium primary and Li-ion
Prototypes of more than 35 kg (for Space & Defence)
New derogation under negotiation
Cells
Batteries
Li-Ion
</= 40Wh and no more than 24/package
> 40Wh and no more than 12/package
</= 150Wh and no more than 12/package
> Wh and no more than 6/package
Primary
</= 2g Li and no more than 24/package
> 2g Li and no more than 12/package
</= 15g Li and no more than 12/package
> 15g Li and no more than 6/package

9. UN Manual of Tests and Criteria
T1: Altitude simulation
T2: Thermal test (-40/+75°C)
T3: Vibration
T4: Mechanical shock
T5: External short circuit at 55°C
T6: Internal short circuit-Impact
(unit/component cells only)
T7: Overcharge
(rechargeable packs only)
T8: Forced discharge
(unit cells only)
(uncycled/cycled 50 times samples)
“fully charged and fully discharged “ samples

10. Class 9 is not the end of the world!
The batteries remain transportable! (even by passenger aircraft)
More constraints regarding the packaging type, marking and weight
Some companies (DHL, UPS) do not take Class 9 products (air)
Others (FedEx) are OK, except for some destinations (Hong Kong…)
FedEx, UPS ground use UN 3090 “Lithium Batteries”
Specific “shippers declaration” forms to be filled
“Hazardous Material Tax” to be paid for each air shipment
Negative “Dangerous Goods” image for the concerned products

11. Specific to Air Transport
Applicable : IATA - Dangerous Goods Regulations
6 Packing Instructions for Class 9 products
Lithium metal Batteries
968 For Lithium cells/Bat transported in bulk (specific packaging weight limits) UN3090
969 For Lithium products contained with equipment UN3091
970 For Lithium products contained in equipment UN 3091
Lithium Ion Batteries
965 For Lithium cells/Bat transported in bulk (specific packaging weight limits) UN3480
966 For Lithium products contained with equipment UN3481
967 For Lithium products contained in equipment UN 3481
Prototypes: Shippable untested (Class 9)
with certain packaging, quantity and authorizations dispositions
Short production runs: need testing (if not Transport per road or sea)
Transport of fully discharged Li-SOCl2, Li-SO2 batteries not allowed
“Dangerous Goods form” to be filled and tax to be paid for Class 9 items

12. Specific to sea / land transport in Europe
Applicable : IMDG Code & ADR
Prototypes and short production runs, shippable untested under certain conditions (packing, not more than 100 pcs per shipment…)
Transport of discharged batteries allowed
400 kg weight limit for outer packaging

13. US-DOT: Code of Federal Regulations CFR 49
Specific to the USA
US-DOT: Code of Federal Regulations CFR 49
UN dispositions not yet fully taken into account
3 sizes of cells/batteries defined - All need testing (CFR )
Small – Primary cell <= 1g, battery <= 2g Li-Ion cell <= 1.5g, Battery <= 8g
Medium – Li content <= 5g, battery <= 25g
Large – Li content >25g
Primary Li batteries (restricted or not to transport)
banned from passenger aircraft when transported in bulk
specific package marking – see 49 CFR Transport of batteries
Prototypes and short production runs shippable untested
Per road = ok (under special condition packing and quantity)(100 cells/bat)
Per cargo air = only with special approval (24 cells/12 batteries)

14. Four UN identification numbers
Primary Li and Li-ion have now separate ID numbers
Transported in bulk
Transported in/with equipment
Primary lithium batteries
UN 3090
UN 3091
Li-ion batteries
UN 3480
UN 3481

15. Shipping primary Lithium
Maximum parcel weight aboard cargo aircrafts
Before
Since 1/01/09
LIP
LIR
Non Class 9
30 kg
2.5 kg
10 kg
Class 9
35 kg
In order to avoid shipping large quantities of small 2.5 kg parcels, Saft made the decision to ship everything as Class 9
Products themselves remain non-Class 9
To keep things simple, all primary Lithium batteries are shipped as Class 9, whatever air/sea/road
They are labeled and packed accordingly

16. Primary Lithium: New Class 9 label
All Saft shipments of primary Li batteries will display this new label
Distributors/customers willing to ship forward LS 14250, LS 14500, LS and LSH14 light as non-Class 9 are free to do so
Previous label
Label since 1/1/09
LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES

17. New calculation for Lithium-ion
«Equivalent Li metal» no longer used
Nominal energy (Whn) is the new criterion: nominal capacity x nominal voltage
Cells below 20 Whn = non-Class 9 Batteries below 100 Whn = non-Class 9
Shipped in parcels of less than 10 kg
MP cells [and batteries of 10 cells or less]
MP (and MP ) [and batteries of 5 cells or less]
Cells above 20 Whn = Class 9 Batteries above 100 Whn = Class 9
shipped in parcels of less than 35 kg
MP cells and batteries

18. Lithium-ion: two new labels
New « Non-Class 9 » label
White color
« Lithium-ion »
Phone number
New « Class 9 » label
UN3480
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES

19. What to expect in the future ?
Continued proliferation of devices powered by Li batteries
(> 2 billion portable Li-ion batteries made in 2008 for portable applications)
More studies on the possible hazards of Li batteries
Pressure to harmonize battery packing instructions and regulation discrepancies between USA and the rest of the world
New efforts from the battery industry to make life easier

20. Lithium transport testing at Saft
 Primary Li packs: 8 samples needed
expect 2 months for completion
 Li-ion packs: samples needed (8 Cycled)
expect 3-4 months for completion
Reduced Time In case of similarity
with an already tested pack model

21. Lithium transport testing at Saft
Test Samples
Special Needs
Test Apparatus
Connectors/ Adaptors/ Etc
Fixtures/ Hardware
Dimensional Saft Valdese
16” diameter / length / width
Larger batteries outsourced

22. Costs
Cells/ Batteries
Hardware
Direct And Outsource Testing

23. How Can Saft Help? Technical Expertise And Experience
Support And Guidance
Testing and Certification
Saft Partners With You the Customer

24. Thank you for your attention!
QUESTIONS?