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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric who wrote (1442367)	2/27/2024 10:37:02 AM
From: Bill	1 Recommendation Recommended By longz Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1573213

Extinguishing an electric vehicle (EV) fire presents unique challenges due to the nature of high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. Let’s delve into the details: Understanding Thermal Runaway: An EV’s high-voltage battery consists of tightly packed cells within a watertight, fire-resistant enclosure. When a single cell fails, it rapidly produces intense heat (up to 1,200°F) and gas. This exothermic chemical reaction doesn’t require external oxygen to sustain itself. The heat transfers to neighboring cells, causing a chain reaction. Once a cell fails, it’s impossible to extinguish it directly. Common Firefighting Methods and Their Limitations: Firefighting Foam: Foams create a blanket to smother fires and cool the surrounding area. However, getting foam to the failed cells inside the sealed battery box is challenging. Foam’s primary purpose is to starve a fire of oxygen, but lithium-ion cells don’t need external oxygen to burn. Thus, foam is ineffective against thermal runaway. Class D Extinguisher: Class D extinguishers contain powder designed for combustible metal fires. Despite being called “lithium-ion battery cells,” these cells don’t contain solid lithium metal. Getting the powder directly to the burning cells is difficult due to the box’s construction and the rapid cell failure. Water Requirements: Independent research by Tesla warns that an EV battery fire can require 3,000 gallons of water and up to 24 hours to fully suppress. In some cases, firefighters have reported needing up to 30,000-40,000 gallons of water to extinguish the battery pack once it starts burning 1 2. Authorities have even stated that a Tesla Model X poses a serious threat of starting a fire for hours after a crash 3. In summary, extinguishing an EV fire is a complex task that demands specialized approaches and significant water resources. Safety protocols continue to evolve as we learn more about electric vehicle technology.