4 electrical automobile (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this 12 months, reviews The Solar. That is based on Putrajaya fireplace and rescue division fireplace security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV house owners to observe the producer’s guide to make sure protected operation and cut back the chance of fires.
“EV house owners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging classes and be sure that their autos aren’t uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It may 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. Because of thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and fast deflagration course of make EV fires troublesome to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water except the automobile is flooded with ice,” he stated.
Out of the 4 EV fires this 12 months, one occurred throughout charging, whereas three have been because 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 may 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 should 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 discover ways to take care of them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with sporting 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, in the end producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about fireplace risks, many individuals imagine it’s a distant danger that solely impacts others. It’s essential to be further cautious and alert to stop potential incidents,” he stated.
In the meantime, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) automotive growth centre director Dr Mohd Azman Abas stated EV battery applied sciences are essential in minimising the chance of a hearth. “Whereas most electrical autos at the moment use lithium-ion batteries, which provide excessive power density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra vulnerable to dangers akin to overheating, which may end up in thermal runaway,” he defined.
The way in which a battery is designed and managed is essential, with programs 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 mixing of synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost the system’s skill to foretell and detect potential points.
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