Suppression Alternatives for Lithium Fire Hazard?

8/23/2021

I am working on a project that is manufacturing lithium-metal batteries (not lithium-ion). There are multiple areas throughout the manufacturing process where there is a risk of exposed lithium metal.

With lithium being water reactive, any water based system is not an option.

Are there any known alternative fire suppression systems listed and approved for use on a lithium fire?

I know that per a couple of different NFPA codes that clean agent and dry-chemical systems are not recommended for use on lithium fires. From what I can find there are just manual fire extinguishers (such and ANSUL's lith-x) for use on lithium fires.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe

9 Comments

Pete

8/23/2021 06:43:51 am

Not 100% sure, but I think a clean agent system (NFPA 2001) is designed specifically for reactive metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, uranium, and plutonium.

Alex

8/23/2021 07:11:05 am

Hi Anonymous,

I will start by saying that I am personally not aware of any listed fire suppression systems for lithium metal. But I did use your question to learn more about suppression alternatives for lithium fire and wanted to share my findings.

First, I went into NFPA 484, Standards for Combustible Metals. Table A.8.3.3 lists extinguishing agents per metals. For Lithium we have the following: carbon microspheriods, Lith-X, copper powder, a few dry chemicals, and argon. Annex H discusses “extinguishing agents that should not be used on lithium fire”. This includes water, AFFF, Halon, and CO2.

If you move forward with argon, you will be sent over to NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems”. The standard walks you through the calculation and design process of argon (IG-01).

Like you mentioned, I can only find manual fire extinguishes for Lith-x.

Sorry I can’t provide much more on this topic. I hoping to learn more from everyone’s comments today. Best of luck with you design!

Thanks,
Alex

Greg

8/23/2021 08:37:01 am

To arrive at a comprehensive solution, can you break up the problem a bit more to attack the hazard? Think of local application and also in room application. Internal fire barriers, or external barriers, and separation... Ultimately, can you suppress and control the fire, or will you need to separate using passive barriers to achieve loss control.

On the suppression side (local application); the agents available in extinguishers (such as LithEx) can be loaded into pre-engineered systems for localized applications. I recommend reviewing major suppliers and contacting a technical engineering rep within the company to help find the best product. Not totally uncommon to do for metal fire applications. Review visibility hazards created by local application with Life Safety / Architect when applying in an occupied area. Consider delayed egress, etc.

On the suppression side (room application); this should be strongly considered, in addition to a localized applications. For this I would suggest you review the benefits of an Aerosol suppressant (eg. StatX). As above, consider life safety for discharges.

The basics of passive fire protection may play well in this space. Consult your architect / engineering team if there is a need to provide loss control through passive means such as; fire walls (eg. gypsum 2 hours) , fire barriers (eg. block wall 4 hours), or distance by separation (use FM Data sheets).

And if none of that will work, is there some possibility for dry sand to be pushed into the space, if it were semi-outdoors, in an open pit, etc. Way outside of code conforming but sand works if you have enough

John Callahan

8/23/2021 08:43:57 am

See NFPA 855, Section 4.11 for acceptable fire suppression requirements.

Franck

8/23/2021 09:08:26 am

NFPA 855 is not the correct standard in your case.
NFPA 855 is for lithium ion batteries. Nothing comparable to pyrophoric metal fire.
NFPA 484, as mentioned by Alex is the one you should use.
Unfortunately, as already mentioned, NFPA 484 mostly lists extinguishing agents for portable fire extinguishers (Lith-X, Copper powder...).
Argon is a possible gas protection agent for a closed room/equipment or for local application system on a machine...
This is the only inert gas you can use effectively on this kind of metal (lithium).
Do not use water (will decompose into oxygen - to fuel the fire - and hydrogen - to make an explosion). Do not use foams (because of water content). Do not use CO2 (will decompose into O2), or any othet inert gas (not effective with lithium metal fires).
Best practices rely on housekeeping (no dust, no fines), strong human procedures (static electricity, hot works...) and appropriate training for operators with appropriate fire extinguishers (no ABC powder: not efficient and the delivery system will create an explosive metal dust when applying).
For closed compartment machines, you can use argon.

Maybe you can check for helium (not mentioned by NFPA, but which can be used for Zirconium/hafnium, which normally have the same extinguishing requirements as Lithium metal).

Jon Sullivan

8/23/2021 01:02:15 pm

Another detailed and educational response. Thank you Franck

Franck

8/23/2021 02:38:10 pm

I had to ask myself the same questions a few years ago as we insure facilities processing zirconium and hafnium, both pyrophoric metals,
And sometimes, it happens that these plants do wrong choices, in particular by using ABC powder fire extinguishers, that are absolutely not suitable. Just because “they are more practical to use” than the metal fire extinguishers (most of them contains mostly salt : sodium chloride). A box filled with sand or salt is better than ABC powder extinguishers.
They normally know the potential of dramatic fire/explosions, but have no idea on the right way to avoid it or get protected from it.
And sometimes they receive wrong advices. I have seen areas protected by nitrogen (not efficient), by foam (problematic)… which is fine, as long as nothing happens.

Franck

8/23/2021 02:49:03 pm

Note that 2 area of concern are:
Beams and building structural elements (where metal dust can accumulate without being noticed… vibrations can create an explosive cloud)
Exhaust ducts provided on some machine shops where oily deposits and metal dust can accumulate.

Good housekeeping program for the first one
Fire dampers and gas protection (argon) for the second one.

Phil

9/12/2021 03:13:31 pm

May years ago I designed a fixed dry powder system using the Ansul system / equipment (comprising a powder storage tank, open nozzles and N2 gas cylinders used to deliver the powder). This thread got me looking into the current Ansul products and they do appear to have a powder product called LITH-X which appears to be for use on lithium fires. I'm not too sure if its suitable for use in a fixed system or just portable extinguishers but you might get some joy speaking to Ansul directly.

Sorry this may be a bit late for you.

Suppression Alternatives for Lithium Fire Hazard?

Leave a Reply.

ALL-ACCESS

SUBSCRIBE

COMMUNITY

YOUR POST

PE EXAM

FILTERS

ARCHIVES

PE PREP SERIES