4 electrical car (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this yr, stories The Solar. That is in keeping with Putrajaya hearth and rescue division hearth security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV house owners to observe the producer’s guide to make sure protected operation and scale back the danger of fires.
“EV house owners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging classes and make sure that their automobiles should not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It could actually take from 5 to 24 hours to completely extinguish an EV hearth, relying on the dimensions of the battery (kWh) and the hearth load concerned. Attributable to 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 hearth that may launch giant quantities of warmth, poisonous gases and chemical fumes.
At current, water and a particular hearth blanket are used to cope with EV fires, though they solely serve to forestall the hearth from spreading and to not extinguish it. It could actually take a really very long time to place out an EV battery hearth experiencing thermal runaway, as evident by this case involving a Tesla Semi again in August.
Beneath the brand new hearth security pointers, EV charging bays in Malaysia will need to have an EV hearth blanket at a strategic level or a hearth command centre. Firefighters are additionally present process coaching and publicity to EV fires to discover ways to cope with them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with carrying full private protecting tools with a set of respiratory equipment.
Khirudin additionally famous that fires involving EV batteries can result in a vapour cloud explosion, with a 70% chance in basements or enclosed areas, finally producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about hearth risks, many individuals consider it’s a distant threat that solely impacts others. It’s vital to be further cautious and alert to forestall 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 vital in minimising the danger of a hearth. “Whereas most electrical automobiles presently use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive power density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra inclined to dangers akin to overheating, which can lead to thermal runaway,” he defined.
The best way a battery is designed and managed is vital, with programs needing to make sure protected charging and discharging in addition to keep away from overheating, overcharging or quick circuits. He added that researchers are exploring the mixing of synthetic intelligence (AI) to reinforce the system’s skill to foretell and detect potential points.
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