Batteries play an integral part in all of our lives. They are in your back pocket, living room, garage, at your workplace, and on the road beside you. Demand for consumer electronics, especially electric and hybrid vehicles, is one of the key drivers in the proliferation of rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries, and there’s no end in sight.
But are you or those with whom you work aware of the differences between lithium and lithium-ion batteries? Ronald Butler, the CEO of E-cell Secure explains the differences.
“Lithium batteries, or primary batteries, are single-use and incapable of recharge. They contain lithium metal, which is highly combustible. The real value in lithium lies in the fact that they deliver extremely high energy densities in small configurations. They are used where recharge isn’t necessary or feasible. Common applications include military use (warfighter applications), medical applications and certain consumer electronics, to name a few.
Lithium-ion batteries, or secondary batteries, are rechargeable and used worldwide. A lithium-ion battery finds applications that require recharge capability. Lithium-ion batteries provide high energy density, though lower than lithium primary, and can be recharged time after time. These batteries contain no free lithium metal but do contain lithium ions and highly flammable electrolytes. Common applications that incorporate li-ion technology include laptops, cell phones, hospital equipment, energy storage systems, and electric vehicles.”
Ronald Butler
CEO of E-cell Secure
The adoption of electric vehicles is accelerating at a high rate. The U.S. is one of the leading countries in global electric vehicle sales, but now Canada has also begun to transform its transportation infrastructure to accommodate for the switch to electric vehicles.
EVs are quickly gaining valuable market share from internal combustion vehicles. While many people may be familiar with EV pioneer Tesla, there is an entire ecosystem of battery producers and lithium mining firms that are playing critical roles in this transformation.
Lithium-ion battery fires are more dangerous than fires from other battery types because they release a flammable vapor that is toxic and which essentially produces its own fuel, creating a thermal runaway. When lithium batteries overheat, they are capable of spontaneous ignition and explosion. Causes range from electrical shorts, overcharging, rapid discharge, physical damage and just poor design and manufacturing. Overheating happens in the individual cells of the battery and can escalate quickly inside the battery through the release of flammable electrolytes or molten burning lithium.
Battery fires cannot be treated like any other fire.
Read how Classic Fire + Life Safety are working with industry partners
to find solutions for lituium-ion battery fire protection.
Fire – thermal runaway is in full effect.
Definition: Thermal Runaway - a process that is accelerated by increased temperature, in turn releasing energy that further increases temperature. Thermal runaway occurs in situations where an increase in temperature changes the conditions in a way that causes a self-perpetuating increase in temperature, often leading to a destructive result (fire or explosion).
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are also known to reignite long after they have been damaged in a fire – sometimes up to a week later. After a fire, there is often stranded energy which requires the batteries to be removed from the area.
Definition: Stranded Energy - any scenario where electrical energy remains in a battery without an effective means to remove it. This typically happens when the battery is damaged—by force, a coolant leakage, heat, or water intrusion—and normal function ceases.
Water Sprinkler System: Water has long been an effective method for extinguishing fires because of its effectiveness, availability and low cost – and this includes lithium-ion vehicle batteries. A recent NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation report confirms the lithium inside these batteries is lithium salts (not pure lithium) and therefore it is safe to use water as an extinguishing agent.
Download NFPA Report Here: “Sprinkler Protection Guidance for Lithium-Ion Based ESS”
Water extracts heat from a battery – however, because these batteries are often located on shelves, racks or inside cabinets, this can make it difficult for a sprinkler system to apply water directly to the battery itself. In-rack sprinkler systems must be used in conjunction with the main building sprinkler system to ensure all fire risks are covered.
In-Rack Sprinkler System: In-rack suppression systems are an absolute must for warehouses and logistics facilities. These systems help to avoid a cascading thermal runaway and the devastating effects this could have. Recent reports have provided guidelines for the configuration of racking to further hinder the spreading of a fire to adjacent materials and causing a cascading thermal runaway.
Water-Mist System: Due to the small particle sizes and higher surface areas that are common in water-mist, these systems allow for better heat absorption and therefore would require less water than a typical sprinkler system. This is useful in places where access to water is limited. Water-mist systems also have the potential to be nonconductive so they would not damage adjacent electronics and would require less cleanup.
Gas Detection: One way to prevent a thermal runaway is to identify the off-gassing that takes place in stage 2 of a Li-ion battery fire. A series of detectors monitors the area for any battery off-gassing and causes an alarm within seconds from the off-gassing entering the atmosphere around the detector. This provides valuable time for operators to implement emergency shutdown procedures and isolate the affected battery or batteries.
The gas detection system should be connected to a suppression system that will activate on the second stage of an alarm condition.
Fire Extinguishers: Lithium-ion battery fires are considered a Class B flammable liquid fire. A type ABC or BC fire extinguisher is effective against this type of blaze. These fire extinguishers interrupt the chemical reaction in the lithium-ion battery, eventually stopping the fire. Because extinguishers require manual operation, we recommend them as a complementary piece of fire protection equipment.
Disclaimer: The installation of a fire suppression system should not be a substitute for: structural fire resistance, safe packaging and storge methods, proper handling of materials, or staff training.
