Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
EPA‐qualified fire suppression agent that allows flight attendants to safely and effectively suppress lithium battery fires aboard commercial aircraft.
battery-related incidents – “smoke, fire, extreme heat or explosion” between 1991 and 2012
Source: FAA, 1991-2012, http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/aircarrier_info/media/Battery_incident_chart.pdf
UPS Flight 006September 3, 2010, Dubai, flight carrying a large shipment of lithium batteries crashes after a fire starts in the cargo compartment. FAA raises concerns about lithium fires in SAFO 10017.
Lithium fires will increase
“Identify alternative extinguishing agents and procedures for use in in-flight fires involving lithium batteries. The unique properties of lithium battery fires require specialised extinguishing agents and procedures.”
– Royal Aeronautical Society, 2013
(1) Utilize a Halon, Halon replacement or water extinguisher to extinguish the fire and prevent its spread to additional flammable materials.
(2) After extinguishing the fire, douse the device with water or other non-alcoholic liquids to cool the device and prevent additional battery cells from reaching thermal runaway.
Current Procedure: FAA SAFO 09013
FAA acknowledges water only “usually” cools a laptop battery fire – effectiveness depends on factors such as number of batteries/intensity of fire which airline may have no control over
Research from National Renewable Energy Laboratories indicates that “The only extinguisher that will work on a Lithium-ion Battery fire is a Class D Fire Extinguisher or Dry Sand or Dry Table Salt.”
Halon/water: ineffective and unsafe
Source: Company tests; SAFO 10017; AC 20-42D; “Safety Hazards of Batteries,” National Renewable Energy Laboratories, http://www.nrel.gov/education/pdfs/lithium‐ion_battery_safety_hazards.pdf
effective not toxic no reactivity
LIFE Kit: safer and more effective than Halon/water
EPA finds Firebane® 1170 and Firebane® 1179 acceptable as substitutes for Halon 1211 for use as streaming agents {Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 192/Tuesday, October 4, 2011/Rules and Regulations 61273}
EPA finds Firebane® 1170 and Firebane® 1179 acceptable as substitutes for Halon 1211 for use as streaming agents {Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 192/Tuesday, October 4, 2011/Rules and Regulations 61273}
EPA Qualified AlternativeEPA Qualified Alternative
“This new innovation counters the threat of on‐board cabin fires caused by lithium batteries and supplements current FAA protocol,” said Kent Faith, CEO of SpectrumFX. “Our biodegradable solution will be the only agent on‐board that can extinguish the toughest reactive metal fires and avoid the dangers of Halon.”
SpectrumFX recommends that 2 LIFE Kits should be in the cabin of a single aisle commercial airliner and 1 small LIFE Kit in the cockpit.
Appendix“On a typical flight, a single aisle jet carrying 100 passengers could have over 500 lithium batteries on board. These devices are not tested or certified nor are they necessarily maintained to manufacture’s [sic] recommendations. Replacement batteries from questionable sources (‘grey market’) can be contained within devices.”
-Royal Aeronautical Society Report, 2013
