what\'s behind the increase in lithium-ion battery fires on planes?

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Passenger malfunction lithium has led to an alarming increase in the number of airline smoke and fire incidents
As the summer travel season approaches, ion batteries have attracted the attention of safety and aviation experts.
\"This is one of the few rising risks in the aviation sector,\" said John Cox, a senior pilot and airline safety consultant with special expertise in lithium
Ion batteries for aviation
So far this year, the Federal Aviation Administration has reported at least 18 incidents involving lithium.
Ion batteries on aircraft and airports, 31 incidents on 2016.
By contrast, there were 16 in 2015, 9 in 2014 and 8 in 2013.
Any particular flight could contain hundreds of Li-
Ion batteries in mobile phones and laptops and many rechargeable devices involved in these fires
Such as wireless headphones, especially e-cigarettes—
Not even in the market a few years ago.
Just last week, a JetBlue flight from New York to San Francisco was transferred to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Emergency landing after E-
Cigarette chargers are on fire.
The FAA initially reported that the culprit was a laptop, but the airline told consumers that what actually caught fire was the most effective Sodacharger for e-commerce. cigarettes.
The battery in this device is about the size of the AA battery you might find in the remote control. Last year, Li-
After the Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone was recalled for a fire hazard, Ion battery safety became news.
The FAA subsequently banned commercial aircraft from using these phones.
Although any device is unlikely to ignite, this fire now happens somewhere in the United States every 10 or 11 days. S.
The unique features of battery fire bring severe challenges to the crew.
\"Battery fires are particularly dangerous because they burn very hot and emit toxic by-products that burn even if it looks like they have been put out, james H, chief science officer, consumer report.
Dickerson is a physicist and former administrator of the Department of Energy\'s functional nano-materials center at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Passengers can play a big role in preventing these fires.
The first step is to follow the FAA guidelines on transporting spare batteries on flights. Spare Li-
Ion batteries should not be stored in checked baggage but are packed in carry-on luggageon bag.
Tape or other protection should be applied to the electrical terminals to prevent the battery from contacting any stray metal equipment that may cause a short circuit.
Although it is not required by the FAA, Cox recommends carrying any equipment containing lithium
Ion battery with you
There are also luggage
If the battery is on fire, the problem will be discovered and dealt with quickly.
If your battery-
When you are on board, the power supply equipment starts to heat up or even smoke?
Cox said you should inform the crew immediately.
Then, if possible, calmly leave the combustion unit and let the crew finish the work.
The JetBlue crew put a backpack with a burning battery in a metal box and put it in the toilet of the plane until the plane lands.
A statement from the airline said, \"The crew took action consistent with their training to ensure that the situation was under control.
\"Although airline staff have been trained to deal with emergencies on board, dealing with battery fires can be complex, difficult and dangerous. A Li-
K explains that ion batteries contain volatile chemicals that are separated from membrane by membrane. M.
Abraham, professor of Northeastern University, pioneer of Li
Ion battery design.
If the film is destroyed
Whether it\'s a battery defect or damage-
Energy can be released uncontrollably, a situation called heat out of control.
\"Volatile gases increase the pressure in the cells,\" Abraham said . \".
\"This can cause the battery to break and release volatile organic compounds that catch fire when they come into contact with oxygen in the air.
The FAA guidelines published instruct the crew to handle Li-
The ion battery caught fire in stages.
The first step is to use the Halon fire extinguisher to extinguish the flame.
Next, cooling the battery is crucial, and the temperature of the battery can reach 1,000 degrees F.
It is more than twice the maximum temperature of the home oven.
Otherwise, the battery may be reignited.
The FAA says the best way to cool out-of-control batteries, whether you believe it or not, is to use normal old water.
\"After putting out the fire, douse the equipment with water or other non-alcoholic liquids to cool the equipment and prevent additional battery cells from reaching heat out of control,\" FAA said in a written consultation . \".
But this process can be risky.
\"Pouring water carelessly on a device can cause all kinds of unexpected dangers, from electric shock to further spread of toxic substances in the battery,\" said Dickerson . \".
In addition, \"it takes a lot of water to cool the battery of a large laptop in this way.
Security experts say that when dealing with large devices like laptops, it may be a better strategy to immerse them in containers filled with water.
The problem, however, is that moving a burning battery can be dangerous.
In addition to sending out a strong amount of heat, the battery can also explode and spray something sticky --
Thermochemical substances glued to the skin.
\"It\'s like a petrol bomb,\" Cox said . \"
These dangers prompted the FAA to advise against fire.
Bags for some airlinesBut not JetBlue.
Has been used to deal with battery fires.
\"Do not use fire-resistant combustion bags to isolate the burning lithium-
The FAA document says.
\"It can be very dangerous to transfer the burning appliance to the burning bag.
Do not move the device until you are sure the fire is extinguished and the device is cooled.
\"This is a paradox,\" Dixon said . \"
\"The device is too hot and you don\'t want to move it, but moving it is the best way to control the danger.
Some business planes and some business planes
JetBlue is not included-
A device called planegard was purchased to handle a laptop battery fire.
The device includes gloves and goggles as a shield to protect the crew.
A laptop or other device can be lifted and packaged in a metal case.
Then the shell is sealed in a heavy
A working aluminum shell containing the steam emitted by the burning battery and preventing subsequent explosions.
Finally, the battery can be cooled with water filled with water.
Due to the laptop policy developed by the Department of Homeland Security, the laptop problem on the plane has additional currency this year.
The agency banned laptops from entering the cabin of American Airlines. S. -
Regular flights departing from some airports in the Middle East and North Africa and considering extending the ban to other countries.
These initiatives are designed to address potential terrorist risks, but some experts are concerned about the potential fire hazard if the equipment is transported in the cargo compartment of the aircraft.
The FAA has enacted regulations governing transportation by Lee.
On 2010, the Ion battery crashed as a commercial cargo after a fire on UPS Airlines Flight 6.
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