Fire Safety Company Introduces New Equipment to Deal with EV Battery Fires

Rosenbauer, a fire safety company, is always considering new and innovative firefighting strategies. While electric vehicles are no more prone to flames than conventional vehicles, battery fires are distinct from gasoline fires and require specialist equipment to extinguish them efficiently.

Battery Fires

Battery fires are often hotter than gasoline flames. Most fire crews today shoot enormous amounts of water over a burning electric vehicle. The issue is that batteries are enclosed in a watertight protective enclosure.

New Technology

Rosenbauer has devised a new technology to address the issue. It is made up of two parts: an extinguishing unit and an operational unit that is linked by water hoses. If the EV is still on its wheels, firefighters position the extinguishing unit between the battery and the road; if the car is on its side or upside down on its roof, they connect it to the outside of the vehicle near the battery.

The tool can be operated from a distance of roughly 25 feet. When the extinguishing unit is triggered, it drives a mandrel with a piercing lance into the battery with many tons of force, then pours water via the lance to flood the battery's interior. During transit, the device can be left connected to the battery. In re-ignition, more water can be pumped into the battery compartment as long as there is a supply.

Related Article: New Study: Recycled Lithium Batteries are Just as Good as their Freshly Mined Counterparts

Successful Testing

Rosenbauer claims to have successfully tested the system with factory, professional, and volunteer fire departments in Europe and various battery types such as pouch, prismatic, and cylindrical cells. The apparatus has been developed to work in conjunction with conventional fire department training and techniques.

"We were delighted to be able to design and test the extinguishing system along with Rosenbauer and to be able to contribute to the improvement and ongoing development," says Patrick Looss, director of Securitas Fire & Safety according to Ride Apart. The extinguishing mechanism is one of the best and most inventive industries to prevent a battery fire from spreading. The operation is simple to use and efficient. The technology, in my opinion, is a must-have for every fire department."

EV Battery Safety

Manufacturers must adhere to particular design rules to sell electric automobiles, and the bulk of those elements must ensure that the vehicle is safe for drivers. However, an electric vehicle's power supply poses a threat, and manufacturers are building safety systems to mitigate the hazards.

The Lithium-ion battery is flammable and may catch fire, and it contains power cells that can short-circuit if damaged. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries have a far lower danger of fire explosions than gasoline in traditional automobiles. Electric car batteries are frequently encased in a protective cooling shroud filled with coolant liquid to avoid external damage or short circuit. In addition, to prevent damage from malfunction, all-electric cars are mounted in an array rather than one large lithium-ion battery pack, notwithstanding external cooling.

Also Read: Will Charging EV Batteries Be as Efficient as Pumping Fuel?

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