Why do battery fires occur and what dangers do they pose?

Lithium-ion batteries are potentially dangerous due to the phenomenon of thermal runaway. This involves a sudden increase in temperature and pressure inside the cell, causing the release of flammable gases. If the temperature is high enough, these gases can ignite, leading to a difficult-to-control fire and toxic vapor emissions.

Thermal runaway from a lithium-ion battery releases a variety of gases, including lithium oxides, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and phosgene. Each of these gases has its own unique properties that can threaten health and safety.

Lithium oxides are the oxidation products of lithium, which are dangerous because of their chemical reactivity. They can react with moisture, causing a risk of chemical burns, and when in contact with air can generate highly flammable and explosive mixtures.Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a non-flammable gas, but at high concentrations it can cause shortness of breath, unconsciousness and, in extreme cases, even death from asphyxiation. With prolonged inhalation, it can lead to various health problems, such as circulatory and respiratory problems.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a highly irritating and toxic gas that can cause serious respiratory problems, especially in people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Phosgens are particularly dangerous because they are highly toxic gases that can damage the lungs or even lead to death. In addition, phosgens are potentially carcinogenic, meaning that prolonged or frequent exposure to these gases can increase the risk of cancer.

All of this underscores how dangerous mishandling of lithium-ion batteries can be, and the importance of following proper safety procedures.

According to experts speaking to TechCrunch, the increased risk of fires is especially true for cheap batteries and electric bicycles, often imported from China. According to Leo Raudys, head of Call2Recycle, a battery recycling organization, the low price is often due to savings in the manufacturing process. Using inferior materials and skipping certain steps in the process can lead to defects such as bulging or cracked cells, which in turn creates the risk of thermal runaway.

Raudys stresses that "we get what we pay for." The low price of a battery often means that production has been expedited by skipping certain steps in the process.

An example of a city where the problem of battery fires is particularly acute is New York. Food delivery workers on electric bicycles often buy cheap bikes online or second-hand to do their jobs. These bikes are heavily used - delivery workers can travel up to 100 miles a day. Any collision, fall or damage to the battery increases the risk of it exploding. It is especially dangerous to leave such a battery to charge overnight, which can lead to overheating and ignition.

George Kerchner of the Rechargeable Battery Association points out that even high-quality batteries can pose a fire risk if they are damaged. Attempts to repair or self-modification can adversely affect the safety features that have been built into the battery by the manufacturer.

We are currently facing the challenge of a lack of effective methods to counteract lithium-ion battery fires in domestic settings. Typical fire extinguishing agents, such as powder, carbon dioxide or water extinguishers, are unable to extinguish such a fire or inhibit thermal runaway.

In the face of these difficulties, one solution available that can at least partially reduce the risk is specialized fire covers for bicycles and electric scooters, such as those produced by E-WESTA. The use of this type of protection has two key purposes.

First, the cover restricts the development of flames to its interior, which helps minimize the development of a fire. Second, the cover acts as a dampening environment for a possible explosion. Rather than allowing fire gases to fill the room in quantities that could cause an explosion, the cover allows these gases to ignite within its interior, limiting the formation of an explosive atmosphere.

However, it should be noted that even with the use of a cover, we are not able to completely stop the release of toxic products of combustion. Fire covers are specially designed to allow controlled release of fire gases, which helps prevent the cover from bursting.

That being said, it is worth realizing that a fire cover is only a safety measure and not a universal solution to the problem. This is an area that requires further research and development, and at this stage there is not yet a global solution that can effectively deal with this challenge. Some scientists and engineers around the world are constantly working to develop effective methods to extinguish lithium-ion battery fires, but so far it is still an area full of unknowns and unknowns.