1. Introduction to International UN38.3 Certification

UN38.3 refers to Section 38.3 of Part 3 of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Manual of Tests and Criteria, abbreviated as UN38.3. In accordance with relevant provisions of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations, airlines have formulated transport regulations for batteries including but not limited to those transported separately, packed with equipment, or built into equipment.

2. Importance of Battery UN38.3 Certification

With the wide application of lithium batteries in mobile communication equipment, electronic digital products, power products, medical and security fields, etc., national supervision over lithium battery transport has become increasingly strict. Due to the certain risks of lithium battery-containing products such as mobile phones and laptops during transport, to effectively ensure the safety of battery air transport and avoid unsafe incidents, lithium batteries must pass the test requirements of Section 38.3 of Part 3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria regardless of the mode of transport.

3. Battery UN38.3 Certification Requirements

4. UN38.3 Test Items & Pass Criteria

T.1 Altitude Simulation

Store cells and batteries in an environment with a temperature of 20±5℃ and atmospheric pressure no greater than 11.6kPa for no less than 6 hours.

• After the test, the open-circuit voltage of the sample shall be no less than 90% of the pre-test open-circuit voltage. This requirement does not apply to fully discharged batteries and cells.
• The sample (battery) shall show no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire.

T.2 Thermal Test

Battery storage conditions: one temperature cycle consists of 72±2℃ (6h) — -40±2℃ (6h), with a maximum temperature transition interval of 30min, repeated for 10 cycles. After the cycles, store the batteries at 20±5℃ for 24 hours.

• After the test, the open-circuit voltage of the sample shall be no less than 90% of the pre-test open-circuit voltage. This requirement does not apply to fully discharged batteries and cells.
• The sample (battery) shall show no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire.

T.3 Vibration

Securely mount cells and batteries on the surface of a vibration table. The vibration is in sine wave form, increasing from 7Hz to 200Hz then decreasing back to 7Hz as one cycle, with each cycle lasting 15 minutes of logarithmic swept sine transmission.

• Logarithmic sweep: start from 7Hz with a maximum acceleration of 1gn maintained until the frequency reaches 18Hz, then maintain the amplitude at 0.8mm (total excursion 1.6mm) and increase the frequency until the maximum acceleration reaches 8gn (frequency approximately 50Hz), then maintain the maximum acceleration at 8gn until the frequency increases to 200Hz.
• One direction of vibration must be perpendicular to the sample polarity. Each cell is subjected to 12 cycles from three mutually perpendicular directions, 3 hours per direction, totaling 9 hours.
• After the test, the open-circuit voltage of the sample shall be no less than 90% of the pre-test open-circuit voltage. This requirement does not apply to fully discharged batteries and cells.
• The sample (battery) shall show no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire.

T.4 Shock

Securely fix all accessory surfaces of each cell and battery sample with a rigid bracket. Each cell or battery is subjected to a half-sine acceleration shock with a peak of 150gn and a pulse duration of 6ms. Large batteries and large battery packs shall be subjected to a half-sine shock with a maximum acceleration of 50gn and a pulse duration of 11ms.

• Each battery or battery pack shall be subjected to 3 shocks in the positive direction of three mutually perpendicular battery installation orientations, followed by 3 shocks in the reverse direction, totaling 18 shocks.
• After the test, the open-circuit voltage of the sample shall be no less than 90% of the pre-test open-circuit voltage. This requirement does not apply to fully discharged batteries and cells.
• The sample (battery) shall show no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire.

T.5 External Short Circuit

Maintain the test environment temperature stable at 57±4℃ to bring the surface temperature of the cell or battery sample to 57±4℃. Short-circuit the positive and negative electrodes of the sample with a total resistance circuit of less than 0.1Ω. After the surface temperature of the sample recovers to 57±4℃, maintain the short-circuit state for more than 1 hour. The cell or battery must be further observed for 6 hours before a conclusion is drawn.

• During the test and within 6 hours thereafter, the 外壳 temperature of the cell or battery sample shall not exceed 170℃, with no disassembly, no rupture and no fire.

T.6 Impact (Applicable to cylindrical batteries with a diameter no less than 18mm)

Place the cell or polymer cell sample on a flat smooth surface. Place a 15.8mm diameter crossbar across the center of the battery, then drop a 9.1kg mass from a height of 61±2.5cm onto the sample.

• For the impacted sample, the longitudinal axis shall be parallel to the flat surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the 15.8±0.1mm diameter curved surface placed across the center of the sample. Each sample is subjected to only one impact.
• The maximum surface temperature of the cell or battery shall not exceed 170℃.
• Within 6 hours after the test, the cell shall show no disassembly and no fire.

T.6 Crush (Applicable to prismatic, pouch, coin/button batteries and cylindrical batteries with a diameter less than 18mm)

Place the battery or cell between two flat surfaces and gradually increase the crushing force at a speed of approximately 1.5cm/s at the first contact point. Continue crushing until one of the following three conditions occurs: the applied force reaches 13kN±0.78kN; the battery voltage drops by at least 100mV; the battery deformation reaches more than 50% of the original thickness.

• Prismatic or pouch batteries shall be pressed from the widest side. Coin/button batteries shall be pressed from their flat surface. Cylindrical batteries shall be pressed from the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
• The maximum surface temperature of the cell or battery shall not exceed 170℃.
• Within 6 hours after the test, the cell shall show no disassembly and no fire.

T.7 Overcharge

Charge the sample at 2 times the maximum continuous charging current recommended by the manufacturer.

• Minimum test voltage: if the manufacturer-recommended charging voltage does not exceed 18V, the minimum charging voltage for this test shall be the smaller of twice the manufacturer-specified maximum charging voltage or 22V. If the manufacturer-recommended charging voltage exceeds 18V, the minimum charging voltage for this test shall be 1.2 times the manufacturer-specified maximum charging voltage.
• The test lasts 24 hours at an ambient temperature of 20±5℃.
• The test sample shall show no disassembly and no fire during the test and within 7 days after the test.

T.8 Forced Discharge

At an ambient temperature of 20±5℃, connect a single cell to a 12V DC power supply for forced discharge. This DC power supply provides each cell with an initial current equal to the maximum discharge current specified by the manufacturer.

• The specified discharge current is obtained through a load of appropriate size and power connected in series with the test cell. The forced discharge time (hours) for each cell is the rated capacity divided by the initial current (amperes).
• The test sample shall show no disassembly and no fire during the test and within 7 days after the test.

1.2m Drop Test

Stacking Test

① Number of test samples: 3 cartons of test samples for each design type and each manufacturer. ② Test method: Apply a certain force on the top surface of the test package, equivalent to the total weight of the same number of packages that may be stacked on top during transport. The minimum stacking height including the test sample shall be 3m, and the test duration is 24 hours. ③ Pass criteria: The test sample shall not leak. For compliant or combined packaging, no contained substance shall leak from the inner receptacle and inner packaging. The test sample shall not show damage that may adversely affect transport safety, or deformation that may reduce its strength or cause unstable stacking. Before evaluation, plastic packaging shall be cooled to ambient temperature.

5. Application Steps for Battery UN38.3 Testing & Certification

1. Application

① Confirm customer information: which city the customer's products will be exported by air; whether the customer's products are shipped separately or with other products. ② Fill in the UN38.3 application form. ③ Provide battery specifications and other materials.

2. Quotation

Determine the test time and corresponding fees based on the provided materials.

3. Payment

After the applicant confirms the quotation, sign the application form and service agreement and pay the project fee.

4. Sample Submission

The customer sends the samples.

5. Testing

The Energy Storage Testing laboratory conducts the full set of UN38.3 tests on the applied products according to relevant testing standards.

6. Report

The test is passed and the report is completed.

7. Certification Issuance

The project is completed and the appraisal certificate is issued.

6. UN38.3 Testing Laboratory

Energy Storage Testing has outstanding testing capabilities in the lithium battery industry, and has obtained qualifications including China CNAS L13753, CNAS IB1376, CMA (202019014977), CQC, UL, CBTL (TL777), TÜV, etc.

The Energy Storage Testing laboratory can independently complete the full set of UN38.3 projects including battery UN38.3 testing, air & sea transport appraisal certificates, 1.2m drop test and stacking test. With sophisticated experimental equipment and industry senior UN38.3 certification test engineers, we help your products sell globally.