Safety Considerations May Affect Lithium-ion Battery Transport
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United Airlines became the second major US airline to opt out of the wholesale supply of lithium-ion batteries due to high risks.
Delta Airlines cut off such supplies in February. According to officials, it is lithium-ion batteries that are to blame for the recent fires that led to the deaths of 4 crew members.
The Federal Aviation Administration conducted an experiment with a 5000-cell container and a cartridge heating element that simulated overheating of one of the batteries. This caused a chain reaction in the remaining batteries with an increase in temperature to 600 ° C. The heating was followed by an explosion that knocked out the doors of the container and the transfer of fire to the transport compartment.
Repeating this test using a fire extinguishing agent did not reveal any changes, the explosion occurred again.
According to United Airlines, the reason for the refusal is in danger to customers, their belongings and the environment.
There were several emergency situations in which batteries could cause fires. [1]
American Airlines stopped accepting certain types of lithium-ion batteries in February. They accept small packs of batteries connected in one container. But this raises questions from a safety point of view due to the concentration of a large number of batteries together in one container.
At the moment, the main problem is the need to develop a new, safe way to transport batteries and rechargeable batteries containing lithium.
About 4.8 billion cells were manufactured in 2013, and the expected production for 2025 is 8 billion cells.
Tests also revealed that lithium metal batteries that are not rechargeable and devices like cameras and calculators light up more often than other versions. The UN banned the transportation of such batteries on passenger aircraft last year; the ban entered into force in January.
About 10% of the 2.5 billion lithium metal batteries are transported annually. Lithium-ion batteries are delivered much more often by aircraft.
Delivery of equipment including lithium batteries, such as laptops, is still carried out by the above three airlines.
Note.
[1] Since there are no different terms in English for a battery and a battery, the whole range of devices for energy content with lithium content is meant here.
Delta Airlines cut off such supplies in February. According to officials, it is lithium-ion batteries that are to blame for the recent fires that led to the deaths of 4 crew members.
The Federal Aviation Administration conducted an experiment with a 5000-cell container and a cartridge heating element that simulated overheating of one of the batteries. This caused a chain reaction in the remaining batteries with an increase in temperature to 600 ° C. The heating was followed by an explosion that knocked out the doors of the container and the transfer of fire to the transport compartment.
Repeating this test using a fire extinguishing agent did not reveal any changes, the explosion occurred again.
According to United Airlines, the reason for the refusal is in danger to customers, their belongings and the environment.
There were several emergency situations in which batteries could cause fires. [1]
American Airlines stopped accepting certain types of lithium-ion batteries in February. They accept small packs of batteries connected in one container. But this raises questions from a safety point of view due to the concentration of a large number of batteries together in one container.
At the moment, the main problem is the need to develop a new, safe way to transport batteries and rechargeable batteries containing lithium.
About 4.8 billion cells were manufactured in 2013, and the expected production for 2025 is 8 billion cells.
Tests also revealed that lithium metal batteries that are not rechargeable and devices like cameras and calculators light up more often than other versions. The UN banned the transportation of such batteries on passenger aircraft last year; the ban entered into force in January.
About 10% of the 2.5 billion lithium metal batteries are transported annually. Lithium-ion batteries are delivered much more often by aircraft.
Delivery of equipment including lithium batteries, such as laptops, is still carried out by the above three airlines.
Note.
[1] Since there are no different terms in English for a battery and a battery, the whole range of devices for energy content with lithium content is meant here.