International Fire Protection (IFP) recently took the opportunity to speak with Rodger Mort, President of PACT, LLC, to learn how product innovation is being used to mitigate the risks of lithium battery fires during product transport.
IFP: When we say ‘battery thermal runaway’, what exactly do we mean?
RM: Lithium batteries operate in a relatively narrow temperature range. The battery cells’ safety and stability depend on maintaining internal temperatures within specific limits. If the temperature exceeds the critical level on either end, thermal runaway can occur, destroying the battery or, even worse, starting a fire.
Worrisomely, thermal runaway is a chain reaction within a battery cell that can be very difficult to stop once it has started. It occurs when the temperature inside a battery reaches a critical point, leading to a chemical reaction inside the battery. This reaction, in turn, produces even more heat, which drives the temperature higher, causing further chemical reactions that create more heat.
In thermal runaway, the battery cell temperature rises incredibly fast – a fraction of a second. The energy stored in that battery is released very suddenly – a chain reaction that creates extremely high temperatures in the range of 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius). These temperatures can cause gassing of the battery and a fire that is so hot it can be nearly impossible to extinguish.
IFP: How pressing is the problem of battery thermal runaway during transport?
RM: Lithium battery fires during the supply chain journey are dangerous events that happen far too often. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a lithium battery explosion occurs during shipping once every 10 days. The FAA reports that as of 22 January 2020, 268 incidents involving lithium batteries have occurred on planes since 2006 – including a record 48 in 2018.
It is, really, merely a matter of quantity: the United Parcel Service (UPS) estimates that just seven of their customers are responsible for shipping over 40 million lithium-ion batteries per year. The majority of cells or battery packs are produced in Asia, leading to long transit times when shipping to the Western Hemisphere.
The increase in battery shipments can lead to more opportunities for explosions. And considering the significant uptick in e-commerce – a trend originating with the Covid-19 pandemic but expected to continue even as lockdowns end – the amount of batteries and battery-powered products criss-crossing the globe is unprecedented.
IFP: What places your company in a position to offer a solution?
RM: PACT, LLC is a world leader in manufacturing industrial packaging and crating solutions. With over 25 years of experience, PACT has designed such popular industry solutions, including Pleatwrap packing and J Crates – a line of lightweight yet sturdy sustainable crating. We’ve also developed custom packaging products for the furniture and automotive industries.
Importantly, PACT was founded on the idea of sustainability, and continues to embrace a green future in the packing and crating industry. That’s the foundation of the concept behind our fire suppression wrap.
IFP: What are the details of that solution?
RM: The solution is called Thermo Shield, and it recently received a US patent. Thermo Shield is a paper-based, fire-resistant shipping wrap designed to prevent catastrophes caused by battery explosions during transport.
Utilizing a revolutionary technology that actively and automatically cools the internal environment of a corrugated container, the paper-based, 100% recyclable protective logistics product prevents damage to the outside shipping container, suppresses fumes or gasses from escaping, and limits external oxygen supply.
IFP: How does Thermo Shield accomplish this fire suppression?
RM: Thermo Shield comprises a lightweight pleated material with a non-toxic moisture vapour application that ensures the safety of lithium-ion products in transport. The solution can suppress thermal runaway and propagation at temperatures up to 800°C, and restrict the temperature outside the wrap itself to 60°C.
Thermo Shield’s credentials are a step up from competitors: Thermo Shield is the only paper-based wrap solution that exceeds the proposed SAE G27 lithium battery packaging performance standards for safety in shipping via air, land and sea. The shipper also is lightweight and reusable, lending to cost efficiency both at initial purchase and during use.
IFP: What are your primary goals with this solution?
RM: The urgent industry needs to mitigate these dangerous thermal runaway events makes Thermo Shield a potentially revolutionary solution, one capable of drastically limiting the amount of thermal runaway to protect both logistics personnel and valuable cargo.
IFP: Can you give an example of a customer utilizing Thermo Shield?
RM: Sure. Headquartered in Brockport, New York, Sunnking focuses on reducing the amount of e-waste that ends up in landfills by promoting responsible reuse, repair and recycling of unwanted electronic equipment. Operating throughout Western and Central New York state, the company specializes in e-scrap removal and IT Asset Disposition (ITAD), and oversees recycling volumes of more than 25 million pounds each year.
A key facet of electronics recycling is handling batteries, whose dangerous chemicals necessitate special care in the various processes employed in their recycling. Here, Sunnking’s operations include consolidation, sorting and packing of batteries destined for recycling at smelters.
Already an intricate endeavour, battery recycling has an even more meticulous subset: the disposal of damaged, defective or recalled (DDR) batteries. For Sunnking, its process had typically involved vermiculite, a sand-based insulator intended to capture thermal runaway. While a reasonably effective buffer, vermiculite’s bulk-use heft increases shipping costs, and results in batteries arriving at smelters in cumbersome plastic barrels. From there, the vermiculite dust must be removed for the batteries to be compatible with existing recycling protocols – an inconvenient final step.
Amid promising growth, Sunnking was intent on leaving the vermiculite behind as its business moved forward. Two main reasons drove Sunnking’s decision to make the switch to our Thermo Shield solution in late 2020. First, PACT’s Thermo Shield would allow Sunnking to safely pack and fit more batteries in a single shipment while still controlling for the outsized hazards posed by these batteries.
Second, Thermo Shield had a proven ability to mitigate thermal runaway events even for batteries charged at high levels. This was a critical differentiator, as battery recyclers rarely have a firm understanding of the charge levels of the batteries they handle. And of course, the higher the charge, the more dangerous a thermal runaway event would be. Add that to the fact that many of the batteries handled by Sunnking are damaged or defective, and the importance of a more capable thermal runaway safeguard becomes obvious.
Since incorporating Thermo Shield into its battery recycling processes, Sunnking has experienced significantly improved efficiency and zero runaway events. The company’s battery recycling operation is running more smoothly than ever, and with more peace of mind.
For more information, go to www.pactthermoshield.com
About the Author
Rodger Mort is President of PACT, LLC, a leader in manufacturing industrial packaging and crating solutions.
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