The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently conducted a series of testing in Atlantic City, New Jersey of five different areas of scope involving lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer battery cells. The report, entitled "Flammability Assessment of Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery Cells Designed for Aircraft Power Usage", outlines the topics of fire exposure, pressure pulse, halon suppression, external short circuit and auto-ignition.
The results of the testing showed that lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer battery cells could ignite and react violently when exposed to an external fire. Furthermore, testing also showed that halon fire extinguishers could not prevent lithium-ion polymer battery cells from reigniting, despite being able to extinguish all three battery-type fires.
Once the report is viewed, it is understandable why the United States government is proposing additional rules for transport by air of these commodities.
To review the report in its entirely, please refer to the link below for the FAA website:
http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/pdf/09-55.pdf
(January 2010)
