Electricity and Control January 2024

SAFETY OF PLANT, EQUIPMENT + PEOPLE : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Fire safety for lithium-ion batteries

SafeQuip, a leader in innovative fire safety solutions in South Africa, is spearheading effective lithium fire extin guisher solutions in the country. With the use of lithium-ion batteries increasing in many types of portable devices and battery storage solutions, lithium-ion battery fires have emerged as a growing risk worldwide. In South Africa, as the country progresses to wards greener energy solutions and increased off-grid power system installations, the same challenges arise. Stakeholders, including insurance providers and fire departments, are taking proactive measures to address the rising risks of lithium-ion fires. Pierre Malherbe, Managing Director of SafeQuip says, “Without a fire class structure in place for lithium-ion bat teries and due to the severe risk posed by thermal run away in the batteries, risk mitigation and the use of tools that are available to combat these fires effectively is be ing discussed and documented across all sectors glob ally. As more knowledge is shared and standards and protocols are being developed, it is important to verify and test the ability of products to combat, suppress and prevent re-ignition of lithium-ion battery fires effectively.” Currently, many products are being developed and marketed in this field, Malherbe says, and it is important that each new product has been correctly certified and verified according to the local regulations, standards, and test protocols. He emphasises that as part of this verification, as well as testing the product’s effectiveness in suppressing and extinguishing fires, effective preven tion of re-ignition should also be tested. Independent testing has shown that although many products can sup press and/or extinguish a lithium fire they are not always effective in preventing re-ignition – and this can happen after minutes, hours or even days if the agent used is not fully effective. SafeQuip has been working with AVD Lithex over the past three years to address this critical issue. This partnership journey has involved, among other things, advocating amendments to the SANS 1910 standard to enable the use of water-based extinguishing agents – a milestone achieved when the revised standard was pub lished in November 2022. Subsequently, SafeQuip submitted product samples to BSI and has worked steadily towards certification through much of 2023. Once it has certification in place,

SafeQuip will offer the only SANS 1910-approved fire extinguisher with lithium fire extinguishing capabilities in South Africa. AVD Lithex holds approvals in several countries and carries well-recognised certifications, including BSI cer tification, the CE mark, EN 3.7 approval, Apergaz mod ule B approval, NTA 8133 KIWA test, and tests with UL are ongoing. This positions SafeQuip’s product as in herently compliant with the requirements in South Africa for safe equipment. Based on vermiculite, the patented technology distinguishes the SafeQuip product from oth ers on the market. It boasts three critical features in com batting lithium-ion battery fires: cooling and encapsula tion, preventing propagation, and preventing re-ignition. Although various products, such as water mist and gel-based media, are claimed to suppress fires effec tively, the final test lies in the prevention of re-ignition. SafeQuip’s lithium fire extinguisher has met this stringent criterion, having successfully passed the KIWA test, which is recognised internationally as a key indicator of re-ignition prevention. AVD Lithex has extended its groundbreaking technol ogy to fire blankets, creating a versatile blanket that can withstand temperatures above 1 000°C – a valuable tool for containing fires until they self-extinguish. The South African Qualification and Certification Committee (SAQCC) rightly asserts that currently, no lithium fire extinguisher in South Africa complies with SANS 1910 and none should be serviced. However, SafeQuip is leading the way to deliver a SANS 1910-approved fire extinguisher with lithium fire extinguishing capabilities, which will be a significant development for the South African market. SafeQuip and AVD Lithex are committed to advancing fire safety standards in South Africa and globally, ensur ing that the risk of lithium fires is mitigated effectively. □ SafeQuip is pioneering the development of a SANS 1910-approved lithium-ion battery fire extinguisher in South Africa.

AVD Lithex has extended its fire extinguishing technologies to fire blankets that can withstand temperatures above 1 000°C.

20 Electricity + Control JANUARY 2024