An integrated Li-ion battery bank recently caught fire onboard an inspected passenger vessel when loosely crimped lugs overheated. While no one was injured and the vessel sustained minimal damage, this casualty highlights
An integrated Li-ion battery bank recently caught fire onboard an inspected passenger vessel when loosely crimped lugs overheated. While no one was injured and the vessel sustained minimal damage, this casualty highlights safety hazards unique to Li-ion batteries. All integrated (installations used for propulsion and electrical power) Li-ion battery systems on inspected vessels must undergo engineering plan review, be fitted with supporting safety systems, be tested and inspected at installation and periodically afterward, and be properly maintained by competent mariners, regardless of the battery bank size or end consumer.
Unique Safety Considerations
- Energy Density
- Thermal Runaway
- Fire Suppression Resistance
- Toxic Off-Gasses
- Battery Management
Design Requirements
The Coast Guard provided design guidance for integrated Li-ion battery systems in CG-ENGPolicy Letter 02-19 (PL 02-19), Design Guidance for Li-Ion Battery Installations Onboard Commercial Vessels, which incorporates American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F3353-19, Standard Guide for Shipboard Use of Li-ion Batteries. These “integrated” systems are hardwired to power the ship’s electrical loads; plug-in electronics and Li-ion batteries as cargo are not addressed by this Safety Alert. (See Safety Alert 01-22 for more information on Li-ion batteries as cargo.) As Li-ion battery technology evolves, additional guidance may be released.
PL 02-19 and ASTM F3353-19 address the following major
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