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Lithium-ion batteries may be banned from some airplanes’ cargo after Boeing 787 fires
Now it appears that the International Air Transport Association, a trade organization, wants to ban shipment of such batteries in the cargo... From reading a recent IATA statement, it appears the ban may apply only to batteries in cargo, and not batteries carried by passengers in devices such as tablets, phones and other computers. (venturebeat.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
The difference between cargo and individual pax is the concentration of batteries. There have been on board incidents with single lithium-ion batteries that have been successfully contained. When shipped as cargo there are many batteries all in the same area of the cargo bin. If one battery buried deep inside a shipment has a short that results in a thermal runaway the problem then spreads to the next battery and you end up with a cascade effect. The end result is a very intense and concentrated fire that can and will take down an aircraft. The on board fire and loss of a UPS 747 in the UAE has been traced back to its cargo of lithium-ion batteries. Essentially IATA is finally realizing the threat that these shipments represent to aircraft. I am all for the ban. Ship them by boat, I don't want a bunch of them sitting down below me. They are as bad as large concentrations of O2 generators in my opinion.
Fires on cargo boats aren't very ideal either :)
The difference is that a fire on a cargo vessel doesn't jeopardize hundreds of lives, and there would be enough time to get everybody off the ship and into lifeboats if the fire can't be contained.
The fire can be contained using the right suppression agent. There is an agent called F-500 that extinguishes three dimensional fires by quickly dropping the temperature of the burning object to below it's flash point. Works well on Li batteries.
Grahame, from my understanding of dropping-temperature agents, they would NOT be efficient on packed and concentrated lithium batteries. YES, It would work on a single battery or computer inside a small container. But only IF this container structure can handle thousands of degrees for a couple minutes...(cf my comment ontop).
And by the way free-radical agents don't work on on thoses self running fires (no oxygen needed).
And by the way free-radical agents don't work on on thoses self running fires (no oxygen needed).
Yep you're right Jeff. But an uncontained fire inside an airship always has to finish on earth... If not landed on a runway quick-enough so that you can prepare and drink your cup of tea, pilots will have to land the aircraft on a non-prepared surface or dich it.
Then, hazard put appart, you gain about 10 minutes carrying thoses goods by boat ;)
Then, hazard put appart, you gain about 10 minutes carrying thoses goods by boat ;)
Very much in the same way that the Oxygen Generators brought down Valujet in the Everglades....