Following the recent report of a fire on-board a yacht in Loano Marina, Italy which raises the possibility of battery charging as a potential cause, this article is issued to remind all yachts of the safety precautions to be adopted when charging Lithium-Ion batteries.

Lithium-Ion batteries are being used in all manner of devices, from e-cigarettes and water toys to powering cars and ships. With the increase in use of these batteries there is a related increase in their failure, some with catastrophic results. When a Li-Ion battery goes into thermal runaway the temperature can increase to an extremely high level very quickly with no way to interrupt the chemical reaction causing a resultant fire or explosion.

Gasses produced by a lithium-Ion battery due to thermal runaway are a dangerous mixture with highly explosive, hazardous and toxic components released. Even with careful consideration and utilising the recommendations below, dealing with a Li-Ion battery fire should be discussed and practiced on board.

We recommend the following be implemented to mitigate against possible Li-Ion battery fires:

o Only use quality certified batteries which have been constructed to ISO, CE or equivalent standard and not cheap imitations.

o Use chargers with the correct output required for the battery being charged.

o Always check the device/battery and charger for damage prior to use.

o Disconnect any charger or battery that is hot or deformed.

o Never charge batteries on or near anything flammable.

o Do not leave batteries unattended while on charge where possible.

Further to the above recommendations, Li-Ion batteries should not be charged too rapidly, fully discharged or overcharged. They are also sensitive to high and low temperatures. Any battery that has been stressed in any way should be handled with extreme caution.

Flag States and Insurance Companies alike are becoming increasingly concerned with the care of Li-Ion batteries on-board yachts.

As many yachts commence winter maintenance or shipyard periods, extreme care should be adopted when looking after Li-Ion batteries.

Superior fire protection for lithium-ion battery fires from Johnson Controls

 

The new F-500 portable extinguishers really deliver.

The new F-500 fire extinguishers provide superior protection through the cooling

of superheated surfaces; high penetration of the extinguishing agent into the

flammable material; and encapsulation of liquid fuel and potentially toxic exhaust

gases. Fire extinguishers that blanket the burning battery with the goal of cutting

off oxygen to help prevent reflash (e.g., D-powder) have not yielded positive results in practice. In

some cases, a lithium-ion battery may release oxygen itself when burning, and the explosions of

the cells can destroy the battery’s casing because of the kinetic energy of the violently discharged gases.

Why does the F-500 extinguisher agent succeed where other agents fail?

The F-500 extinguishing agent has proven more effective than other commonly used agents in the areas of cooling, agent  penetration, and reduction of toxic gases.

Stronger cooling effect Multiple tests have shown that the more powerful the cooling effect of the

extinguisher/extinguishing agent, the more rapidly the fire is extinguished. Combining water with the F-500 additive creates a stronger cooling effect compared with pure water and other extinguishing agents (e.g., foam).

The evaporation and extraction of heat begin at 70°C/158°F.

Greater penetrative effect the surface tension of water is reduced considerably when the F-500 agent is added. This significantly increases the ability of the extinguishing agent to penetrate the battery and deliver the substantial cooling effect where it is  most effective.

Reduction of toxic exhaust gases ; the F-500 is an “encapsulation agent” that can envelop/contain combustibles and flammable gases, thus inhibiting their oxidizing effect (SAFE effect). This also helps reduce the impact of possible toxic exhaust gases.