Frequently asked questions about battery fires: you can find them here! What are the risks and how can you manage risks with batteries? Read on for the answers to your questions.
What is thermal runaway?
This is a process in which the temperature in the battery becomes so high that the conditions change, resulting in even higher temperatures. The consequences are very high temperatures, the release of (hazardous) gases and often a very fierce fire, projections of electrolyte and metal parts.
What are causes of thermal runaway?
Thermal runaway can be caused by various factors. The most common causes of thermal runaway are: overcharging of the batteries (often due to incorrect chargers), damage, overheating, short circuit and discharging the battery too quickly.
Can a battery fire be extinguished with a foam extinguisher?
No. Foam will initially suppress the flames, but due to the insulating effect of the foam, the temperature of the firebox will rise again, which will not stop the thermal runaway.
Can a battery fire be extinguished with a powder extinguisher?
No, a powder extinguisher does not cool the seat of the fire, so the thermal runaway is not stopped.
Can a lithium battery fire be extinguished with water?
Very limited and with risks. Water conducts, so a short circuit will occur. In addition, the reaction of water on the battery can lead to explosive hydrogen gas. Extinguishing batteries with water is therefore not without risks. Although water does provide cooling, a lot of it is needed to have any effectiveness due to its low viscosity.
How effective are water and additive extinguishing agents for lithium battery fires?
Very limited. With most extinguishing agents that consist of water with an additive, the additive (often less than 1%) has no added value compared to extinguishing with 100 percent water. In fact, our testing has shown that water is more effective on battery fires than water with an additive. AVD is not water with an additive, but is a dispersion with at least 13% vermiculite. This makes AVD the best extinguishing agent for lithium battery fires.