Batteries and Fire Hazard
Lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries: why they catch fire and how these fires should be put out.
When a battery catches fire, there are usually two effects:
- Thermal runaway
- Hazardous gases
The hazard, the effects and the combustion reaction can vary depending on the type of battery.
As we can all see in the news, electric vehicle batteries (EVs) are always in the spotlight when it comes to fires.
This is because they use lithium-ion batteries, which are highly flammable and catch fire easily.
The other common battery involved in fires is the lead-acid battery, which is also flammable but less common nowadays.
Can water be used to put out these fires?
On lead-acid batteries you should NOT use water, because the water can react with the chemicals in the battery and cause further damage.
For lithium-ion batteries, using water to put out fires is not recommended either, because it takes 40 times more water than for a normal battery and there is a risk of causing environmental damage.
If you do not have the right extinguisher, you can use water to cool the area and, if possible, submerging the battery can act as an extinguisher.
HOW CAN THESE FIRES BE PUT OUT?
In both cases, you can use an ABC extinguisher to put out these fires.
If you want to know why these extinguishers can be useful, read our article.
EXTINGUISHING AGENTS