Delta Upgrades Engines on 300+ Planes After Toxic Fumes Cause Health Issues for Crew and Passengers

Delta Air Lines is replacing auxiliary power units (APUs) on more than 300 of its Airbus planes after a rise in toxic fume incidents that have sickened both crew members and passengers. APUs, small engines that supply electricity and cabin air when the main engines aren’t running, have been found to... [More info]

And now I know how to deal with a #LithiumBattery fire!

What causes #LithiumIonBattery fires? Why are they so intense? And how should they be fought? An expert explains

By Muhammad Rizwan Azhar
Published: September 28, 2023

"For standard #lithium-ion battery fires, the sprinkling of fine water mist may be used to suppress the fire. On the other hand, experts recommend using specially-designed #ClassD fire extinguishers for solid-state lithium-metal battery fires – or dry chemical fire extinguishers that are appropriate for electrical fires.

"These contain substances, such as sodium chloride powder or pressurised argon, that can combat the challenges posed by solid-state batteries. Sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, melts to form an oxygen-excluding crust over the fire. Similarly, argon is an inert and non-flammable gas which can help put out fires by suffocating oxygen.

"That brings us to the aftermath of the fire – and another often-overlooked hazard: #ToxicFumes. When lithium-ion batteries catch fire in a car or at a storage site, they don’t just release smoke; they emit a cocktail of dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen chloride.

"These fumes can be hazardous to your health, especially when inhaled in significant quantities. This is why these battery fires are a particular concern in confined spaces such as a garage, where noxious gases can accumulate quickly."

https://theconversation.com/what-causes-lithium-ion-battery-fires-why-are-they-so-intense-and-how-should-they-be-fought-an-expert-explains-214470

Home storage batteries (and home charging of EVs) present a real threat to the public. It’s not just the threat of a fire that is near impossible to extinguish but the hugely toxic gasses that are produced.

This would be particularly deadly if a thermal runaway like Luton airport carpark fire were to happen in a carpark integral with a large shopping centre.

We have to embrace clean energy technology if we care for the planet but we are not quite there yet with safety despite the frantic virtue signalling of our politicians.

We need a properly engineered solution. Not a political one.

#ThermalRunaway
#HomeStorageBatteries
#LithiumIon
#EVs
#ElectricVehicles
#ToxicFumes
#CleanEnergy

Shocking drone footage shows 175C ‘hell pit’ spewing out toxic fumes over east London | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/fires-london-pollution-ulez-launders-lane-b2407323.html

#Toxic
#ToxicFumes
#London
#EastLondon
#WasteDumpFire
#Rainham
#LaundersLane