Elaboration of the Regulatory Framework in the Field of Extinguishing Fires of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Проанализирован принцип работы аккумуляторных батарей. Рассмотрены сферы применения литий-ионных аккумуляторных батарей, случаи возгораний на электротранспорте и причины их возникновения. Отмечено, что пожары литий-ионных аккумуляторных батарей не выделены в отдельный класс пожара, и указаны классы пожаров, к которым они могут быть отнесены. Обращено внимание на необходимость включения в действующие нормативные документы технических требований и методов испытаний огнетушащих веществ и средств их подачи на способность к тушению литий-ионных аккумуляторных батареи. Определены направления разработок, необходимых для внесения соответствующих изменений в нормативные документы. The authors analyzed the fields of application of lithium-ion batteries and rechargeable batteries on the basis of the data on available types of electric vehicles operated in Russia. There were considered the cases of fires on electric vehicles in world practice, as well as the principle of batteries operation. There were described the causes of ignition of lithium-ion batteries, such as: mechanical damage of cells; violation of manufacturing technology (uneven cutting of electrodes, or ingress of metal particles between the anode and cathode which leads to damage of the separator); violation of operating rules (improper charging: exceeding the maximum permissible voltage, charging at high currents); sprouting of lithium chains through the separator; overheating of the battery from external sources. There was analyzed regulatory framework in terms of documents establishing requirements for lithium-ion batteries and rechargeable batteries and systems based on them. The possible fire classes during combustion of lithium-ion batteries were described, and also the advantages and disadvantages of their use were considered. There was proposed the roadmap which includes the following points: - selection of the final version of the model fire source of lithium-ion accumulators and batteries; - development of scientifically based field test methods for extinguishing model fires with gas, liquid (water-foam, water-emulsion, etc., aerosol and powder compositions); - practicing of elaborated methods by conducting field tests; - conducting tests on extinguishing model fires with gas, liquid (water-foam, water-emulsion, etc., aerosol and powder compositions) and determining fire extinguishing agents for extinguishing a model fire of lithium-ion accumulators and batteries; - development of proposals for the inclusion of the fire extinguishing capacity of fire extinguishing agents and their supply means for extinguishing a model fire source of lithium-ion batteries and batteries capable of extinguishing these fire sources in the relevant standards; - proposals for the introduction of a fire class of lithium-ion batteries and batteries into the relevant standard.