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Originally Posted by Flyguppy
Based on the limited training they gave us on Li-On batteries, halon is ineffective on these types of fire and even exacerbate the situation.
Only way to stop the thermal runaway is liquid.....water, etc.
And a "containment system" would smother the fire as well. And again, exacerbate the problem by keeping the heat in.
These fires do NOT need oxygen to burn. They produce their own O2!!!!
Yes, that is my thinking. (ie, Halon and CO2 are no good, but you still need them for general cargo suppression). I am assuming some type of liquid and/or liquid-chemical could at least reduce the ferocity of the fire (I've seen the FAA demo movie, very disconcerting).
If one of the other sub-types of Lithium battery were used (and I'm not an expert here, I just know there are many types), it could be contained in a steel box. (I think the original battery already is, from the pictures of the BOS aircraft). It should have its own pressurized-liquid suppression system. That would also mean a dedicated vent-tube to outside the hull in order to displace the air if the liquid was dispensed, then a valve to seal it when the containment box filled. The valve would also have to be a pressure-relief if the liquid boiled.
The containment box could still get smoking hot, so it would probably need to be suspended between the passenger floor (ceiling in the battery-bay) and hull to provide a large air-gap, for cooling. The current design seems to have the containment box bolted to the battery-bay floor. They could even go a box within a box, with the second box filled with an inerting agent (baking soda?).
I just read the link from the MIT Professor. Interesting. It might make more sense to make each battery (eight, according to him) in a seperate containment box. And each box would need an internal cooling system.
I'm guessing it will add 500-1000 lbs to the aircraft, which is the anethma of an aircraft boasting of how much weight was saved by going all-electric.
With the economic impact involved, I don't think Boeing or Thales would take a year to get it certified. They would work overtime to git 'er done.
But it would be a far cry better than shutting it down.
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If one of these airplanes catches fire in the middle of the ocean it's all over with no other recourse but to park it side by side with the Caravelle.
The Caravelle had a fairly successful career. I think you meant the Comet, which only really had any success (very limited) in the RAF as the Nimrod.