Poey50
Well-Known Member
Here's a good example (below) of reporting fire risks on boats caused by 'lithium'. 1. A supertanker on fire, 2. A Russian submarine where people died of toxic gas emitted by the batteries. 3. Many super-yacht fires.
1. Seems to be caused by short circuiting fire. That is, not arising from LFP chemistry
2. A lithium technology "like that used in mobile phones". In other words, not LFP
3. The single example cited was caused by a surf-board battery on charge, so again, not LFP.
Short circuits - either from failure to construct a robustly secured and insulate battery pack or having a main fuse with insufficient amperage interrupt capacity [more common fuses used on boats can allow arcing or the metal components can fuse under the heat] are a greater risk with LFP than lead acid because of the much higher energy density and low internal resistance allowing masses of current to flow into a dead short. But such fires are then caused by poor installation and fusing practices rather than the chemistry itself.
Battery fire safety marine : the rising risk of Lithium batteries - LithiumSafe
And this, from a linked article on lithium fires on super-yachts, points clearly to the many items carried on by passengers as the cause with battery-powered surf boards a major culprit. Charging of these items is the period of risk.
"As owners and guests have begun demanding more technology on board, an increasingly large number of third-party elements are being added to the vessel’s cargo, many of which rely on Lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are typically used in technologies that require charging. They are inexpensive, lightweight, powerful and, unfortunately, extremely combustible. For this reason, is it advisable that crew pay special attention to the risks associate with Lithium-ion batteries and how these differ from product to product."
1. Seems to be caused by short circuiting fire. That is, not arising from LFP chemistry
2. A lithium technology "like that used in mobile phones". In other words, not LFP
3. The single example cited was caused by a surf-board battery on charge, so again, not LFP.
Short circuits - either from failure to construct a robustly secured and insulate battery pack or having a main fuse with insufficient amperage interrupt capacity [more common fuses used on boats can allow arcing or the metal components can fuse under the heat] are a greater risk with LFP than lead acid because of the much higher energy density and low internal resistance allowing masses of current to flow into a dead short. But such fires are then caused by poor installation and fusing practices rather than the chemistry itself.
Battery fire safety marine : the rising risk of Lithium batteries - LithiumSafe
And this, from a linked article on lithium fires on super-yachts, points clearly to the many items carried on by passengers as the cause with battery-powered surf boards a major culprit. Charging of these items is the period of risk.
"As owners and guests have begun demanding more technology on board, an increasingly large number of third-party elements are being added to the vessel’s cargo, many of which rely on Lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are typically used in technologies that require charging. They are inexpensive, lightweight, powerful and, unfortunately, extremely combustible. For this reason, is it advisable that crew pay special attention to the risks associate with Lithium-ion batteries and how these differ from product to product."
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