Dual fire resistance “essential” for safe lithium battery storage

Lithium batteries – such as those found in vapes – have the potential to self-propagate, requiring storage cabinets with internal resistance in order to contain a fire. Equally crucial is external fire resistance to prevent the batteries from being exposed to overheating and potentially adding significantly to the fire load. Compliant storage is essential for protecting people and mitigating risk.                                                                

Lithium batteries don’t behave like conventional combustibles. Overheating is just one of the factors that can cause them to enter thermal runaway: a reaction that can generate extreme temperatures, flammable toxic gases and potential explosions. During thermal runaway, the batteries are capable of generating their own oxygen and re-ignition is common.

In the UK, the applicable safety standards for storing and charging lithium batteries that are desirable as a minimum should be BS EN 14470-1 (the standard for 90-minute fire resistance from the outside-in) and BS EN 1363-1 (the inside-to-outside fire resistance test).

VDMA 24994

In addition, safety professionals should look for VDMA 24994, itself a test which specifically assesses the fire safety performance of lithium battery storage and charging cabinets in the event of a thermal runaway episode.

“Lithium battery storage must be designed to protect in both directions, from the inside out and the outside in,” asserted Les Day, commercial cirector at asecos. “Thermal runaway can result in dangerous explosions as well as toxic gases. The devastating effects can be massively disproportionate to expectations.”

Day concluded: “Focusing on only one aspect of fire resistance leaves a dangerous gap in the safety regime. True protection means preventing a battery fire from spreading outwards as well as shielding the batteries from external fire exposure.”