4 electrical car (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this yr, studies The Solar. That is based on Putrajaya fireplace and rescue division fireplace security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV homeowners to comply with the producer’s handbook to make sure protected operation and scale back the danger of fires.
“EV homeowners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging periods and make sure that their automobiles usually are not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It could 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. Resulting from thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and fast deflagration course of make EV fires tough to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water except the car is flooded with ice,” he mentioned.
Out of the 4 EV fires this yr, 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 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 could 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.
Below the brand new fireplace security tips, EV charging bays in Malaysia will need to have an EV fireplace 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 take care of them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with sporting full private protecting gear with a set of respiration 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 fireplace risks, many individuals imagine it’s a distant threat 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 growth centre director Dr Mohd Azman Abas mentioned EV battery applied sciences are essential in minimising the danger of a fireplace. “Whereas most electrical automobiles at the moment 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 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 combination of synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost the system’s capability to foretell and detect potential points.
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