Lithium-ion batteries, the powerhouse behind much of today’s technology – from smartphones to electric vehicles – carry significant fire hazards beyond mere flames. Unlike typical fires, lithium-ion battery fires do not merely flame and burn – they can explode with intense energy pressure waves, making them particularly dangerous. Dirk Streicher, founder and chief engineer at Ignis Fire Testing, offers the following insights.
Ignis Fire Testing is studying lithium ion batteries' reaction to fire.
What are the fire dangers of lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries do not burn like normal fires; they explode with high energy pressure waves. Initially, they spark severely and produce smoke and toxic gasses. The main problem is that they generate oxygen during burning, fueling the fire.
The burning process is the result of chemical reactions between the different layers or reactants in the cell. Due to the spontaneous emission of oxygen, heat radiation due to flaming, and the availability of highly reactant substances, the process will continue until the reactants are depleted.
What do manufacturers need to do to keep their batteries fire safe?
If this answer was known, there would not be a problem. In large lithium-ion manufacturing facilities or large storage warehouses, the one method is to flood the batteries with water. A good practice will always be to minimise the quantity of batteries stored in a contained unit.
What steps can the general public take to ensure the products they buy with lithium-ion batteries are safe?
The public should know that their products are not fire safe. It is perhaps more a question of how and where batteries are handled and stored. Charging inside a habitable space must not be allowed. The best and safest way to keep batteries will be outside a habitable space where there is enough ventilation to prevent capturing pressure waves.
Furthermore, do not try to extinguish a lithium-ion fire. By the time the fire is noted, it is too late. Run to a space where there are no smoke and toxic gasses and try to save nearby properties if fire spread is happening.
What kind of testing does Ignis provide for lithium-ion batteries?
The verdict is still out on the test methodology for lithium-ion batteries. The current tests we perform are to establish whether a handheld extinguisher filled with special content will extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. When it comes to high-energy batteries, the testing becomes dangerous and should only be performed in specialised environments or away from nearby infrastructure.
For an in-depth explanation on accreditation of Ignis Testing read here.
