In recent years, there have been several incidents of uncontrolled fires during flights, caused by lithium batteries. This was why the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) banned the separate transport of lithium batteries as cargo on passenger flights in 2016. To study these problems VITO/EnergyVille co-ordinated the Sabatair project on behalf of the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The main goal of this project was to evaluate new and existing potential measures for improving the safe transport of both lithium-metal and lithium-ion cells and batteries as cargo on both passenger and cargo flights. An important outcome was the creation of a safety and risk assessment guide for air transport operators in using the identified solutions and measures in their daily operations.

A follow-up research project AirPED was launched for the European Commission, under the supervision of EASA. This project investigates fire hazards related to the transport of portable electronic devices in checked-in baggage on aeroplanes.

Sabatair: safe transport of lithium batteries by air

The European Union, EASA, and GD Move tasked VITO/EnergyVille to investigate potential mitigating measures that can enhance safety when transporting lithium-metal and lithium-ion batteries (as cells and batteries shipped alone).

VITO/EnergyVille:

  • Identified potential safety risks.
  • Assessed the effectiveness of various measures through a series of experimental tests.
  • Developed risk assessment guidance to enable operators to establish and evaluate safe conditions for air transport.

AirPED: transport of Li-ion batteries in personal electronic devices (PEDs)

Li-ion batteries are frequently used in PEDs. However, li-ion batteries have inherent safety risks if operated or handled improperly. They also have a high risk of failure due to their frequently carry-on characteristics.

Test results from the Sabatair project showed that the existing Halon 1301 based fire suppression system is effective in knocking down fire induced by lithium cells. But what about the effectiveness of the eco-friendly Halon replacement agent/extinguishing system that would be equipped in airplanes by the end of 2040?

In order to validate potential eco-friendly Halon substitutes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in conjunction with other expert bodies, developed the Minimum Performance Standards (MPS).

VITO/EnergyVille will investigate the fire risk of PEDs contained in passenger’s checked baggage and give recommendations after running full scale cargo fire tests involving PEDs.

The outcomes of AirPED will be shared at the 2023 VITO Clean Energy Summit.

VITO/EnergyVille is your partner for

  • Electrical and thermal performance testing on a cell and system level.
  • Safety testing on a cell and system level for both hardware and software.
  • Battery safety risk assessment guidance.

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