Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

deltagear t1_iudl5u3 wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Electric vehicles catch aflame during Ian aftermath by sacrificezones

> fires require more water to extinguish flames

Well there's the problem, throwing water on to a lithium fire is like throwing gas onto a campfire.

11

robotobo t1_iue17do wrote

This isn't true with lithium batteries though. Most manufacturers recommend dousing thermal runaway events with water. Not because it smothers the fire, but because it can bring down the temperature enough to stop the event.

11

Dr-Beeps t1_iuelqzl wrote

The fire brigades in the Netherlands actually are testing with big containers with water to lift the burning EV car in. They just drown the car.

8

happyscrappy t1_iuelcnr wrote

There isn't any of that kind of lithium (elemental lithium) in a lithium ion battery. Lithium ion batteries use lithium salts.

It's like saying water is highly combustible because it has hydrogen in it.

8

[deleted] t1_iudlc6g wrote

[deleted]

2

strcrssd t1_iuevnax wrote

No, it's not true. It fundamentally misunderstands lithium ion battery technology and the very basics of chemistry.

5

morcantium t1_iufcjbc wrote

I agree, it's not true about water acting like gasoline with lithium fires. But it is true they are hard to extinguish. Water doesn't make a lithium fire worse but neither will it extinguish the fire. You've got to spray water on the batteries for up to 90 minutes until the batteries burn out to keep the area cooled off. Or just let it burn and keep people away if that's a feasible option. An electric car can take 20,000 gallons of water (or more) before the fire goes out depending on battery size. They've now got fire blankets designed to contain these fires to help protect surrounding vehicles/buildings but good luck getting close enough to fit one around a burning vehicle. Source: I just went on a firefighters safety course on electric car fires.

2

strcrssd t1_iuglzll wrote

Agreed. They're much less likely to catch fire, but when they do they're difficult to put out.

As another commentator posted, fire brigades that deal with a lot of EVs are investigating using water tanks/pools and just lifting the burning vehicles into the water to drown the fire.

1

redditdeigy t1_iudpyf5 wrote

Like nuclear power plants. When all good it’s fine.

3