Fire Protection Research Foundation report: "Lithium Ion Batteries Hazard and Use Assessment Phase IIB - Flammability Characterization of Li-ion Batteries for Storage Protection”
Author: R. Thomas Long Jr., Jason A. Sutula, Michael J. Kahn - Exponent, Inc.
Date of issue: April 2013
Introduction
Lithium ion battery cells and small battery packs (8 to 10 cells) are in wide consumer use today. Superior capacity has driven the demand for these batteries in electronic devices such as laptops, power tools, cameras, and cell phones. In 2011, the Foundation conducted a hazard and use assessment of these batteries, with a focus on developing information to inform fire protection strategies in storage. Since that time, the Foundation has conducted a survey of storage practices and developed a multi-phase research strategy. This report presents the results of Phase II of the project which is a comparative flammability characterization of common lithium ion batteries to standard commodities in storage.
An associated FM Global technical report, “Flammability Characterization of Lithium-ion Batteries in Bulk Storage,” is available for download at www.fmglobal.com/researchreports. Videos from three fire tests, which were part of the research, can be viewed on YouTube.
Video: NFPA's Kathleen Alman talks about the Lithium-Ion battery storage flammability study.