Advanced Power Management ICs Lead Safety in Portable Devices

摘要

Dell's and Apple's recent massive recalls of lithium-ion batteries used in the companies' notebook computers put the spotlight on battery safety. This issue is not new, however. In 2000, Dell recalled 27,000 Sanyo Li-ion battery packs in some of their notebook computers. Dell said that, "the batteries can short circuit and catch fire, even when not in use." Battery chemistries are inherently volatile, and lithium-ion is particularly subject to catching fire or "spontaneously deconstructing," as it is sometimes called in the industry.