Electric cars and hybrid vehicles use lithium-ion batteries
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The growth of electromobility accompanied by the use of lithium batteries increases the need to transport damaged and defective batteries. Defective lithium batteries become problematic if they are damaged in an accident and a thermal runaway cannot be ruled out, and they thus have to be classified as critical. Critical damaged lithium batteries must be transported taking very special precautions. The relevant dangerous goods regulations specify the safety precautions and require approval by the competent authority – by BAM in Germany.
On BAM’s invitation carmakers, transport container developers and hauliers discussed the transport of defective lithium batteries in Berlin on 15th May 2018. The safe and effective implementation of the requirements of the international transport regulations is also a BAM concern. Until now, an individual specification required an application for approval to BAM for each individual transport. Future regulations are intended to simplify and accelerate approvals and ensure the necessary safety by taking into account the dangers posed by the respective lithium batteries. BAM supports this development at the UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. The panel publishes the so-called Orange Book, the Recommendations for the Transport of Dangerous Goods. These recommendations will then be implemented in Europe through the ADR (Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises dangereuses par route) – the internationally agreed set of rules governing the international carriage of dangerous goods by road.
In the workshop initiated by BAM, Gudula Schwan from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) explained the changes that the new ADR, effective from 2019, will bring for the transport of lithium batteries. A number of new special provisions will be included in the regulations regarding their handling. Schwan also outlined the focus topics in the coming years. A hazard-based system for the classification of lithium batteries shall also be developed.
Bernd-Uwe Wienecke and Dr. Anita Schmidt from BAM explained how BAM will be implementing the regulations in practice and how the previous system of individual case approvals will be simplified. A new BAM dangerous goods regulation (BAM GGR) specifies the details of the procedure, the first draft of which will be provided to the parties this summer.
BAM experts and Gudula Schwan from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure discussed the transport of defective lithium batteries with carmakers, transport container developers and hauliers.
Source: BAM
BAM has also set up a new fire test bench to better assess the processes during thermal runaway of defective lithium batteries. In addition to temperature and heat radiation, the gases produced during a fire shall be measured. This data can be helpful in developing new containment systems for dangerous goods as well in further developing international regulations.