Lithium-Ion Fire Extinguishers

How Do Lithium-ion Fire Extinguishers Work?

The FireShield LFX fire extinguisher range uses a water-based agent to fight lithium-ion battery fires.

The water-based agent has outstanding heat-absorbing properties. This works by breaking down the chain reaction in thermal runaway, preventing adjacent cells from potentially overheating. The FireShield LFX unit works by effectively cooling battery cells, alongside cooling those that are in the vicinity that could also be at risk of exploding.

In addition to cooling the fire, the battery units alight, and the nearby units that are at risk of catching fire, this extinguisher protects from secondary A-class fires. This means you can quickly tackle any ‘peripheral’ fires that may have been caused by the burning of batteries.

Dangers Of Lithium-ion

Lithium-ion battery fires can escalate quickly due to the nature of the chemistry involved. Once ignited, these fires can spread rapidly, making them challenging to contain and extinguish. They can also reach extremely high temperatures, sometimes exceeding 1000°C. This makes them not only very dangerous, but they are typically beyond the capabilities of a lot of traditional fire extinguishers. 

Traditional fire extinguishers, while effective for many types of fires, aren’t suitable for lithium-ion battery fires. For one thing, they simply aren’t equipped to tackle the kinds of temperatures that lithium-ion battery fires reach. Not only that but extinguisher mediums like water and foam can make the situation worse by causing the battery to react violently, releasing toxic gases and intensifying the fire. 

Uses For Lithium-ion Fire Extinguishers

The sheer quantity of lithium-ion batteries in circulation means that the correct fire extinguishers are more important than ever. Fortunately, the versatility of Lithium-Ion Fire Extinguishers makes them suitable for a wide range of industries and settings: 

Residential: Every day electronic devices like tablets, smartphones, and laptops all use lithium-ion batteries. A lithium-ion fire extinguisher is one of the best ways to protect your home. Should the cell battery in these devices become damaged in any way, they are far more prone to causing a fire. 

Commercial and Industrial: Many businesses have numerous lithium battery fire risks in the form of vapes and electric scooters to name a few. In order to protect staff, buildings, assets and vehicles from these fire risks, a thorough lithium-ion fire protection process needs to be in place and staff should be properly trained in what to do in the event of a lithium-ion battery fire.  

Transportation: There are numerous new forms of alternative electrically-powered forms of transport that all use lithium-ion batteries, which when charged, become a potential fire risk. These include e-bikes, e-scooters and hoverboards to name just a few.

Thermal Runaway

The most common cause of uncontrollable lithium-ion battery fires is thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is the process where a lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state. During thermal runaway, the lithium-ion batteries heat up too quickly and reach extremely high temperatures. Thermal runaway can be caused by overcharging the battery, damage to the battery, or exposure to high temperatures. 

Thermal runaway can cause everything from smoke and fire to the violent ejection of gas and shrapnel. Not only that but, in environments where there are multiple lithium-ion batteries present, thermal runaway can set off a chain reaction, causing a fire to rapidly escalate and get out of control.  

What Colour Is A Lithium-ion Fire Extinguisher?

The colour recognised throughout the market to identify this type of fire extinguisher is green. The green element can be found within the extinguisher label design as well as its handle.

How To Tell If A Lithium-ion Battery Is Bad

• Reduced Capacity

• Hissing Noise

• Odour

• Smoke

• Swollen or Bulging Battery

• Overheating

• Age (Normally last 2-3 years)

• Error Messages

How Do I Dispose Of A Lithium Battery?

Lithium-ion batteries need to be disposed of safely and correctly. If you are recycling your lithium batteries, you will need to take them to a specialist recycling centre. If you are simply disposing of your batteries, you will need to take them to a hazardous waste collection site.