General > General Technical Chat
Out-of-control EV blaze (thermal runaway) threatens to sink massive RORO ship.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: nctnico on July 28, 2023, 08:52:08 am ---
--- Quote from: Ranayna on July 28, 2023, 08:49:20 am ---From what i understood, there are like 25 BEVs on that ship. Alongside around 2000 ICE cars.
Sure, a battery might have started the fire. And they surely are burning now. But can they really still be a major contributing factor to the fire as a whole?
From what i heard this morning on the radio, the temperatures on the ship are decreasing and there are no visible flames anymore.
--- End quote ---
No. There where nearly 500 BEVs on the ship (out of 3800 cars in total) and according to the news (probably based on a statement made by a crew member / report from the captain to the coast guard), one of these cars caught fire.
--- End quote ---
Every report I've seen says "2,857 cars, including 25 electric cars".
https://apnews.com/article/cargo-ship-fire-netherlands-environment-sea-ca213ea320ba2c664d12e960c52331ee
"Electric cars" often includes hybrids which also carry gasoline.
Berni:
It is different trying to put out a whole tanker truck full of gasoline versus the amount of gasoline in the typical passenger car.
We actually had a fire in a tunnel recently caused by a truck crash:
https://twitter.com/DARS_SI/status/1673277495548821508
Even diesel (usually regarded as much more difficult to set alight) makes quite the violent fire ball if a truck plows into a large tank of it.
If you had a lithium battery that holds the equivalent of 700 liters of diesel that trucks carry the results would be rather spectacular as well.
--- Quote from: gnuarm on July 28, 2023, 09:26:38 am ---"In theory" is code for, "I don't really know anything about this, but here's my favorite take".
--- End quote ---
Well in what way is someone supposed to refer to it then? I don't want to pass off assumptions as facts.
I am not a fireman, nor have i done any tests to confirm pouring water on a battery might electrocute you. All i know is that firefighters and first responders DO have protocols in place for dealing with EVs and large batteries. So they agree that special care is required to avoid electrocution, otherwise they would use the same protocol as for internal combustion cars. If you want detailed reasons for why they do that go ask a fireman, all i know is that they do it.
For example look at how they handled the giant stationary battery that caught fire in Austrialia. They didn't even dare enter the fence, so all they did was spray water over the fence onto the surrounding battery banks so that they would not catch fire while they wait for the damaged bank to burn itself out.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: Berni on July 28, 2023, 09:59:50 am ---It is different trying to put out a whole tanker truck full of gasoline versus the amount of gasoline in the typical passenger car.
We actually had a fire in a tunnel recently caused by a truck crash:
https://twitter.com/DARS_SI/status/1673277495548821508
--- Quote from: gnuarm on July 28, 2023, 09:26:38 am ---"In theory" is code for, "I don't really know anything about this, but here's my favorite take".
--- End quote ---
Well in what way is someone supposed to refer to it then? I don't want to pass off assumptions as facts.
--- End quote ---
Then say, "My assumption is". You just said that's what it is. So, say that! It's nothing about "theory". It's your assumption.
--- Quote ---I am not a fireman, nor have i done any tests to confirm pouring water on a battery might electrocute you. All i know is that firefighters and first responders DO have protocols in place for dealing with EVs and large batteries.
--- End quote ---
Which means what???
I'll give you a hint. What would be the circuit that would electrocute you? Where exactly is the current flowing?
--- Quote ---So they agree that special care is required to avoid electrocution, otherwise they would use the same protocol as for internal combustion cars. If you want detailed reasons for why they do that go ask a fireman, all i know is that they do it.
--- End quote ---
No, ICE require a special "protocol" because gas fires are hard to put out. I don't know where you are, but in the US, we have labels on fire extinguishers that have letters to indicate the type of fires they are good for. Type B extinguishers are for gasoline and other flammable liquid fires. Type C extinguishers, generally are used on electrical fires. What do your sources say is appropriate for EVs?
--- Quote ---For example look at how they handled the giant stationary battery that caught fire in Austrialia. They didn't even dare enter the fence, so all they did was spray water over the fence onto the surrounding battery banks so that they would not catch fire while they wait for the damaged bank to burn itself out.
--- End quote ---
What does that have to do with EV fires? Do we need to build fences around EVs and put the fire out from outside the fence? What are you saying?
This gets old after a while. It's as if people are not able to think logically.
Jeroen3:
https://nos.nl/artikel/2484547-veel-meer-elektrische-auto-s-aan-boord-van-brandend-schip-dan-gedacht-498
498 ev's, the company apparently released a statement to stop speculations. I can't find it.
Some sites report there was also a dutch pilot and german surveyor on board. Surveyors are often on board when tests are being performed.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: Jeroen3 on July 28, 2023, 10:36:21 am ---https://nos.nl/artikel/2484547-veel-meer-elektrische-auto-s-aan-boord-van-brandend-schip-dan-gedacht-498
498 ev's, the company apparently released a statement to stop speculations. I can't find it.
--- End quote ---
Even so, it's not relevant, since there is no indication the EVs were responsible for the fire, or that they are making anything difficult for extinguishing it. There's still many more ICE cars, all potential fireballs and hard to put out.
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