INF.30
Economic Commission for Europe
Inland Transport Committee
Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
107th session 30 November 2019 Geneva, 11-15 November 2019 Item 8 of the provisional agenda Any other business
Firebox – Fire Prevention for damaged or defective Lithium Batteries in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)
Transmitted by the Government of Switzerland
Fire
box
–Fi
re P
reve
ntio
n fo
r dam
aged
or d
efec
tive
Lithi
um B
atte
ries
in B
atte
ry
Elec
tric
Vehi
cles
(BEV
)
And
reas
Kre
bs, C
EO, B
LUBO
X Tr
adin
g A
GW
P 15
Mee
ting,
Nov
embe
r 201
9
1
•D
amag
ed lit
hium
bat
terie
s may
cat
ch fi
re o
r sel
f-ign
ite.
•Th
ese
batte
ry fi
res a
re d
iffic
ult t
o ex
tingu
ish.
•Fi
refig
hter
s hav
e ha
d d
iffer
ent e
xper
ienc
es a
nd k
now
how
; im
porta
nt it
is to
reac
t qui
ckly
.
•A
fter e
xtin
guish
ing,
qua
rant
ine
and
mon
itorin
g is
nece
ssar
y d
ue to
re
-igni
tion.
•W
e sh
ould
be
prep
ared
for a
fire
with
a lit
hium
bat
tery
.
Intro
duct
ion
2
1.Fi
re R
epor
t of L
ithiu
m B
atte
ries
2.W
hat d
o w
e kn
ow a
bout
Lith
ium
Bat
terie
s and
Fire
s
3.C
ompa
rison
of p
orta
ble
Fire
Ext
ingu
isher
s
4.Th
e Fi
rebo
x. W
hat i
s it?
5.A
eros
ol E
xtin
guish
er. H
ow d
oes i
t wor
k?
6.Sa
les F
orec
ast o
f Veh
icle
s
7.C
oncl
usio
ns
Con
tent
3
Fire
of L
ithiu
m B
atte
ries
on a
Truc
k Se
mi-T
raile
r
4
•A
truc
k se
mi-t
raile
r with
20
tons
use
d L
ithiu
m
Batte
ries t
ook
fire.
•W
hen
the
first
em
erge
ncy
vehi
cles
arri
ved
sh
ortly
afte
r the
ala
rm w
as so
und
ed, t
he tr
aile
r w
as a
lread
y co
mpl
etel
y on
fire
. "Sm
alle
r and
la
rger
exp
losio
ns fo
rced
us t
o re
treat
aga
in a
nd
agai
n," s
aid
a sp
okes
man
for t
he H
ilden
fire
br
igad
e. F
our h
ours
afte
r the
out
brea
k, th
e fir
e w
as a
lmos
t und
er c
ontro
l. H
owev
er, t
he fi
re-
fight
ers h
ad to
coo
l and
ext
ingu
ish th
e ca
rgo
for 1
6 ho
urs u
nder
a fo
am c
arpe
t unt
il the
fire
w
as c
ompl
etel
y ex
tingu
ished
.
Inci
den
t Hild
en; N
RZ, N
eue
Ruhr
Zei
tung
Mar
ch 2
016
Fire
of a
n El
ectri
c C
ar
5
•Fr
om st
art t
o a
full f
ire in
min
utes
. •
10’0
00 lit
ers o
f wat
er h
ave
been
ne
cess
ary
to e
xtin
guish
the
fire.
•Ev
en a
fter e
xtin
guish
ing
the
fire
re-ig
nite
d
spon
tane
ously
.•
Afte
r tha
t, it’
s also
reco
mm
end
ed th
at th
e ca
r be
put i
n “q
uara
ntin
e” fo
r 48
hour
s, ju
st in
cas
e of
a n
ew fi
re.
•Tr
ansp
ort o
f the
car
to a
qua
rant
ine
site
is ne
cess
ary.
Inci
den
t Ken
t (W
A);
NBC
New
s Oct
ober
201
3
Con
stru
ctio
n of
Li-I
on B
atte
ries
Basic
ally
a lit
hium
ion
batte
ry is
mad
e of
an:
•an
ode
•ca
thod
e
•se
para
tor
•an
d e
lect
roly
te
•an
d a
BM
S
BMS
= ba
ttery
m
onito
ring
elec
troni
cs (c
ontro
l an
d m
anag
emen
t of
the
batte
ry)
6
Com
posit
ion
of L
i-Ion
Bat
terie
sLiC
oO2
LiCoN
iAlO
2LiF
ePO
4M
ass-
%
Elec
troly
teSa
ltLiF
P 6(L
ithiu
m h
exaf
luor
opho
spha
te)
0.1
–5
Solv
ent
Ethy
lene
Car
bona
te(C
3H4O
3)D
ieth
yl C
arbo
nate
(C5H
10O
3)Pr
opyl
ene
Car
bona
te(C
4H6O
3)
3 –
10
Sepa
rato
rPV
DF
(Pol
yvin
ylid
ene
fluor
ide)
1
Cat
hode
(+)
Alu
min
um2
–10
LiCoO
2LiC
oNiA
lO2
LiFeP
O4
20 –
50
Ano
de (-
)C
oppe
r3
–15
Gra
phite
10 –
30
Hous
ing
/ C
ase
Iron,
Nic
kel,
Alu
min
um, e
tc.
Bala
nce
7
Haza
rdou
s Su
bsta
nces
in L
i-Ion
Bat
terie
sLiC
oO2
LiCoN
iAlO
2LiF
ePO
4M
ass-
%
Elec
troly
teSa
ltLiF
P 6 (L
ithiu
m h
exaf
luor
opho
spha
te)
0.1
–5
Solv
ent
Ethy
lene
Car
bona
te(C
3H4O
3)D
ieth
yl C
arbo
nate
(C5H
10O
3)Pr
opyl
ene
Car
bona
te(C
4H6O
3)
3 –
10
Sepa
rato
rPV
DF
(Pol
yvin
ylid
ene
fluor
ide)
1
Cat
hode
(+)
Alu
min
um2
–10
LiCoO
2LiC
oNiA
lO2
LiFeP
O4
20 –
50
Ano
de (-
)C
oppe
r3
–15
Gra
phite
10 –
30
Hous
ing
/ C
ase
Iron,
Nic
kel,
Alu
min
um, e
tc.
Bala
nce
8
•Ra
pid
dev
elop
men
t fro
m fi
re
outb
reak
to fu
ll fire
.
•Re
leas
e of
haz
ard
ous
subs
tanc
es.
•D
iffic
ult t
o ex
tingu
ish.
•A
fter e
xtin
guish
ing
the
batte
ry
mus
t be
cool
ed d
own.
•Ba
tterie
s can
reig
nite
.
Wha
t do
we
know
abo
ut L
i-Ion
Bat
tery
Fire
s
9
Lithi
um B
atte
ry F
ire E
xtin
guish
ing
Test
•V
ideo
com
pare
s th
ree
extin
guish
ing
agen
ts:
–Fo
am–
Pow
der
–N
-EXT
•Te
st se
tup:
18
2 Li-
Ion
1865
0 ba
tterie
s
48V
olt,
37A
h, 1
.9kW
h
10
The
fire
tetra
hed
ron
expl
ains
the
four
ele
men
ts
requ
ired
to m
ake
a fir
e: h
eat,
oxyg
en, f
uel a
nd fr
ee
rad
ical
s. E
limin
atin
g an
y on
e of
thes
e el
emen
ts w
ill ex
tingu
ish a
fire
. F-
500
EA re
mov
es th
ree
elem
ents
.
N-E
XT /
F-5
00
11
Prop
ertie
s of
N-E
XT•
Red
uce
the
surfa
ce te
nsio
n of
the
wat
er
•Ra
pid
ly a
bsor
b th
e he
at
•En
caps
ulat
e th
e fu
el
•In
terru
pt th
e fre
e ra
dic
al c
hain
reac
tion
12
The
Fire
box
•It
is a
solu
tion
for t
he sa
fe st
orag
e an
d
trans
port
of lit
hium
bat
terie
s and
d
evic
es w
ith lit
hium
bat
terie
s.
•W
ith a
n in
tegr
ated
fire
ala
rm a
nd
Aer
osol
ext
ingu
ishin
g sy
stem
.
•Fo
r per
man
ent m
onito
ring
and
au
tom
atic
ext
ingu
ishin
g w
ithin
a fe
w
seco
nds a
fter t
he o
utbr
eak
of th
e fir
e.
13
The
Fire
box
Opt
ions
•20
or 4
0 fo
ot c
onta
iner
.•
LED
light
.•
Sprin
kler
syst
em w
ith S
torz
con
nect
ion
•C
olle
ctio
n tra
y fo
r liq
uid
s.•
Batte
ry p
ower
supp
ly.
•W
inch
.•
Slid
ing
plat
form
for t
he sa
lvag
e of
d
am
age
d E
V.
•Ho
ok sy
stem
for u
se a
s rol
l-off
cont
aine
r.•
Sid
e d
oors
.•
Fire
ext
ingu
isher
s.
14
The
Fire
box
Salv
age
Con
tain
er•
Mad
e fo
r the
salv
age
and
tran
spor
t of
dam
aged
ele
ctric
veh
icle
s.
•Th
e fir
e al
arm
and
ext
ingu
ishin
g sy
stem
pr
otec
ts y
ou d
urin
g tra
nspo
rt.
•In
the
even
t of i
gniti
on a
nd fi
re d
urin
g tra
nspo
rt, th
e sy
stem
soun
ds t
he a
larm
an
d e
xtin
guish
es th
e fir
e.
•Yo
u ca
n co
ntin
ue th
e tra
nspo
rt to
a
quar
antin
e st
atio
n an
d a
lert
the
fire
brig
ade.
15
Extin
guish
ing
of a
Bat
tery
Fire
in th
e Fi
rebo
x
•V
ideo
show
s a fi
re
of L
i Ion
bat
terie
s an
d h
ow it
is
extin
guish
ed in
the
Fire
box.
•Te
st se
tup:
18
2 Li-
Ion
1865
0 ba
tterie
s
48V
olt,
37A
h, 1
.9kW
h
16
Extin
guish
ing
of a
Bat
tery
Fire
in th
e Fi
rebo
x
•V
ideo
show
s a fi
re o
f Li I
on
batte
ries a
nd h
ow it
is
extin
guish
ed in
the
Fire
box.
•Te
st se
tup:
Li-
Ion
1865
0 ba
tterie
s
144x
36V
olt/
14.5
Ah,
75k
Wh
17
Fire
Pro
Aer
osol
Ext
ingu
ishin
g Te
chno
logy
18
1.A
fter a
ctiv
atio
n, th
e so
lid F
PC c
ompo
und
tran
sfor
ms i
nto
a ra
pid
ly sp
read
ing
cond
ense
d e
xtin
guish
ing
aero
sol,
cons
istin
g m
ainl
y of
pot
assiu
m sa
lt ba
sed
K2C
O3,
H2O
(s
team
), N
2 an
d C
O2.
2.W
hen
the
cond
ense
d a
eros
ol re
ache
s and
reac
ts w
ith th
e fla
me,
Pot
assiu
m ra
dic
als (
K*) a
re fo
rmed
mai
nly
from
the
disa
ssoc
iatio
n of
K2C
O3.
The
K*s
bin
d to
oth
er fl
ame
free
rad
ical
s (hy
dro
xyls
-OH-
) for
min
g st
able
pro
duc
ts su
ch a
s KO
H. T
his a
ctio
n ex
tingu
ishes
fire
with
out d
eple
ting
the
ambi
ent o
xyge
n co
nten
t. KO
H re
acts
furth
er in
the
pres
ence
of
CO
2 an
d fo
rms K
2CO
3.3.
The
solid
par
ticle
s of P
otas
sium
Car
bona
te (K
2CO
3) re
mai
n in
susp
ensio
n in
the
prot
ecte
d ro
om/e
nclo
sure
for a
t lea
st 3
0 m
inut
es, p
reve
ntin
g fu
rther
re-ig
nitio
n of
the
fire.
Fire
Pro
extin
guis
hes
fires
at
the
mol
ecul
ar
leve
l by
inhi
bitin
g ch
emic
al c
hain
re
actio
ns!
Sour
ce: F
irePr
o Sy
stem
s 201
9
Sale
s Fo
reca
st o
f Veh
icle
s
•W
e ar
e at
the
begi
nnin
g of
a
new
era
.
•D
iese
lgat
ean
d g
loba
l w
arm
ing
are
push
ing
carm
aker
s to
prod
uce
EV.
•Th
e cu
rrent
glo
bal E
V m
arke
t sh
are
in 2
018
is 6%
.
•It
will
incr
ease
to 8
% b
y 20
20,
to 2
4% b
y 20
25 a
nd to
48%
by
203
0.So
urce
: Bos
ton
Con
sulti
ng G
roup
, 201
8
19
Why
an
ADR
rest
rictio
n fo
r the
tran
spor
t of B
EV
with
dam
aged
or d
efec
tive
batte
ries?
1.Tr
ansp
ort o
f dam
aged
or d
efec
tive
batte
ries i
s res
trict
ed u
nder
AD
R.
2.Bu
t the
tran
spor
t of B
EV w
ith d
ama
ged
or d
efec
tive
batte
ries i
s not
rest
ricte
d u
nder
AD
R.
3.W
e al
l agr
ee th
at d
amag
ed o
r def
ectiv
e ba
tterie
s rep
rese
nt a
hig
h-ris
k po
tent
ial.
4.W
ithou
t res
trict
ion,
this
trans
port
of B
EV w
ith d
amag
ed o
r def
ectiv
e ba
tterie
s is c
arrie
d o
ut
by n
on-p
rofe
ssio
nals
with
out a
ny ri
sk p
reca
utio
ns.
5.Th
e re
stric
tion
shou
ld a
pply
to th
e tra
nspo
rt of
BEV
with
dam
aged
or d
efec
tive
batte
ries
from
the
road
side
assis
tanc
e ca
r par
k to
the
gara
ge o
r to
third
par
ties.
6.Ro
adsid
e as
sista
nce
and
resc
ue p
erso
nnel
are
resc
ue e
xper
ts a
nd e
xem
pt fr
om A
DR
regu
latio
ns.
7.Th
e tra
nspo
rt of
a B
EV, s
ecur
ed in
a c
onta
iner
with
an
auto
mat
ic fi
re e
xtin
guish
ing
syst
em,
crea
tes s
afet
y an
d p
reve
nts c
arel
ess t
rans
port.
20
Con
clus
ions
1.Th
ere
is no
safe
ty c
heck
for l
ithiu
m b
atte
ries t
hat g
uara
ntee
s you
th
at n
o in
cid
ent w
ill oc
cur.
2.Fi
res f
rom
lithi
um b
atte
ries a
re d
iffic
ult t
o ex
tingu
ish a
nd re
leas
e d
ange
rous
and
toxic
subs
tanc
es.
3.So
oner
we
star
t ext
ingu
ishin
g th
e fir
e, g
reat
er th
e ch
ance
s of
succ
ess.
4.Th
e ex
tingu
ishin
g ae
roso
l rea
ches
eve
ry so
urce
of f
ire.
5.Th
e Fi
rebo
x is
a sm
art s
olut
ion
for t
he sa
fe tr
ansp
ort o
f BEV
with
d
amag
ed o
f def
ectiv
e lit
hium
bat
terie
s.
21
Be p
repa
red!
And
reas
Kre
bs, B
LUBO
X Tr
adin
g A
Gw
ww
.blu
box.
ch /
and
reas
.kre
bs@
blub
ox.c
h
22