Culprits or Collateral Damage? Lithium-Ion Batteries in Fire Investigations

Join Exponent in uncovering how to determine a lithium-ion battery's role in a fire situation

Lithium-ion batteries are frequently blamed for fires. However, the remains found at the site often contains clues of what led to their failure, and their examination is critical to determining whether they were at fault.

Take the opportunity to learn from top Exponent engineers in this webinar, "Culprits or Collateral Damage? Lithium-ion Batteries in Fire Investigations," as they examine the process of inspecting batteries that have been in a fire and how to determine whether a battery is the cause, or a casualty, of a fire situation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Lithium-ion cells that fail from external heat attack can have varying physical characteristics that can be identified by X-ray and CT scan inspection. The most intense heat damage does not always indicate the initiation site.
2. When undergoing thermal runaway, lithium-ion cells release heat and combustible gases. The amount of heat and the volume of gases released is related to the capacity and chemistry of the cell.
3. When examining fire scenes, investigators must consider how the fuel package of a lithium-ion battery may impact fire patterns across the scene.
4. Many factors can impact the severity and even the ability of a battery to go into thermal runaway, including whether the battery was charging, its state of charge, its chemistry, and its capacity.
5. Comparing copper components can help determine the conditions under which cells failed. Differences in melting or damage to copper foils or the presence of beads versus globules on copper conductors can inform the failure scenario.