4 electrical car (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this 12 months, stories The Solar. That is in keeping with Putrajaya hearth and rescue division hearth 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 periods and be certain that their autos aren’t uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It might take from 5 to 24 hours to completely extinguish an EV hearth, relying on the dimensions of the battery (kWh) and the fireplace load concerned. Attributable to thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and fast deflagration course of make EV fires tough 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 12 months, one occurred throughout charging, whereas three had 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 stop the fireplace from spreading and to not extinguish it. It might 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.
Underneath the brand new hearth security tips, EV charging bays in Malaysia should have an EV hearth 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 cope with them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with sporting 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% probability in basements or enclosed areas, finally producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about hearth risks, many individuals imagine it’s a distant danger that solely impacts others. It’s essential 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 essential in minimising the chance of a hearth. “Whereas most electrical autos presently use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive vitality density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra vulnerable to dangers equivalent to overheating, which can lead to thermal runaway,” he defined.
The best way a battery is designed and managed is essential, with methods 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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