Lithium batteries are now widely used in agricultural drones. As summer temperature continues risen, lithium batteries pose a significant safety issue due to the potential for fires that could lead to major accidents. This issue needs to be taken very seriously. Today, I'll systematically explain how to prevent and extinguish fires related to drone lithium batteries during storage, transportation, and use.

Reasons for Lithium Battery Fires

• Internal short circuit: This can be caused by battery misuse, such as overcharging or over-discharging that leads to dendrite formation, impurities and dust during the battery production process. These factors can deteriorate and puncture the separator, causing a micro short circuit. The release of electrical energy leads to a temperature rise. The chemical reactions induced by this temperature rise further enlarge the short circuit path, creating a larger short circuit current. This cumulative and mutually increase the destruction leads to thermal runaway.

• External short circuit: An external short circuit over a long period generally leads to the burning out of weak points in the circuit, but rarely causes a thermal runaway event in the battery.

• External high temperature: Due to the structural characteristics of lithium batteries, various reactions can generate a large amount of heat. The melting of the separator leads to an internal short circuit, and the release of electrical energy further increases heat production. This cumulative and mutually reinforcing destructive effect results in the electrolyte being ejected and a fire starting.
  

 How can lithium battery fires be prevented?

✅ Please store the batteries in a dry and ventilated environment, and keep them away from open flames or flammable and explosive items. If possible, lithium batteries can be placed in a dedicated fire and explosion-proof box.

✅ Never throw the battery into water or fire

✅ Please use the dedicated charger and keep it away from high temperature.

✅ Do not use batteries that are damaged, leaking, or severely deformed.

✅ Avoid squeezing, colliding the short-circuiting battery to prevent unnecessary losses and safety risks.

✅ Please recharge used batteries promptly to avoid over-discharging during long-term storage, which can damage the battery.

What we can do with a lithium battery on fire?

• Using water is the most effective way to extinguish the fire. Please use a water-based fire extinguisher. Before extinguishing the fire, you must cut off the power source to avoid electric shock. When using the fire extinguisher, Attack the fire in direction of the wind, lift the fire extinguisher, pull out the safety pin, grasp the handle firmly with your right hand, press down on the handle, and then continuously spray at the base of the flames.

• The temperature of a lithium battery fire can reach thousands of Celsius degrees, and the dense smoke while burning is toxic. Wear a smoke mask and high-temperature resistant gloves, and do not directly handle smoking or burning batteries with your bare hands.

• If the fire is out of control, evacuate immediately and call the fire department for assistance.