Three months ago I saw a video of some sort of an electric scooter going off in someone's residential building. That person had absolutely no chance of controlling that fire. I guess they have escaped, but it must have been severe fire damage to their home. Then, I listened to an excellent webinar by IFAB (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vir4_1qSSc) where for the first time I've seen useful measurements of HRR in such a fire... and they are horrifying. A fire in a range of ¬1 MW is in many cases all you need to place your compartment on a trajectory to flashover. A fire that grows that quickly means you have no chance to really react. And these devices are located in people's homes! 

To learn more about those threats, I've invited dr Adam Barowy of UL FSRI. Adam has thorough experience in testing and experimenting with these exact types of fires, and is a priceless source of knowledge on such incidents. I am not able to summarize all the amazing information shared by Adam - you really have to listen to the episode. It is absolutely worth it. But what is also worth your time, is to go through amazing UL FSRI resources:

• Online course - Fire Service Considerations with Lithium-Ion Battery ESS https://fsri.org/resource/fire-service-considerations-lithium-ion-battery-ess
• Examining the Fire Safety Hazards of Lithium-ion Battery Powered e-Mobility Devices in Homes
• The Impact of Batteries on Fire Dynamics

And the most important resource - Safety tips for devices with lithium-ion batteries

Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.

OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet. 

 Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business of two highly experienced fire engineering consultants, the business has grown phenomenally in just six years with offices across the country in seven locations – from Edinburgh to Bath. Colleagues are on a mission to continually explore the challenges that fire creates for clients and society, applying the best research, experience and diligence for effective tailored solutions.

If you wish to learn about the PhD opportunity at the Fire Safety Engineering Group, please follow here. You can also check the LinkedIn post in which prof. Ed Galea explains the proposition here. 

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.