4 electrical car (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this yr, reviews The Solar. That is in response to Putrajaya fireplace and rescue division fireplace security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV homeowners to comply with the producer’s guide to make sure protected operation and cut back the chance of fires.
“EV homeowners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging classes and be certain that their autos should not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It might take from 5 to 24 hours to completely extinguish an EV fireplace, relying on the dimensions of the battery (kWh) and the hearth load concerned. As a consequence of thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and speedy deflagration course of make EV fires troublesome to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water until the car is flooded with ice,” he mentioned.
Out of the 4 EV fires this yr, one occurred throughout charging, whereas three have been as a result of accidents. When thermal runaway happens, the battery pack overheats and ignites different cells, resulting in an intense and extended fireplace that may launch giant quantities of warmth, poisonous gases and chemical fumes.
At current, water and a particular fireplace blanket are used to take care of EV fires, though they solely serve to stop the hearth from spreading and to not extinguish it. It might take a really very long time to place out an EV battery fireplace experiencing thermal runaway, as evident by this case involving a Tesla Semi again in August.
Beneath the brand new fireplace security pointers, EV charging bays in Malaysia will need to have an EV fireplace blanket at a strategic level or a fireplace command centre. Firefighters are additionally present process coaching and publicity to EV fires to learn to take care of them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with carrying full private protecting tools with a set of respiration equipment.
Khirudin additionally famous that fires involving EV batteries can result in a vapour cloud explosion, with a 70% probability in basements or enclosed areas, finally producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about fireplace risks, many individuals consider it’s a distant threat that solely impacts others. It’s necessary to be additional cautious and alert to stop potential incidents,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) automotive improvement centre director Dr Mohd Azman Abas mentioned EV battery applied sciences are necessary in minimising the chance of a fireplace. “Whereas most electrical autos at the moment use lithium-ion batteries, which provide excessive power density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra inclined to dangers comparable to overheating, which may end up in thermal runaway,” he defined.
The way in which a battery is designed and managed is necessary, with techniques needing to make sure protected charging and discharging in addition to keep away from overheating, overcharging or brief circuits. He added that researchers are exploring the combination of synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost the system’s capability to foretell and detect potential points.
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