I normally don't post on RCU anymore, amongst all the good stuff there too many keyboard warriors posting complete rubbish (not on this thread though ) and getting stroppy if you challenge them !

However, if you really want to understand lithium technology, in its various forms, you can do no better than read the PPrune thread on the problems of the 787 electrical system (causing its grounding since January, slowly being returned to service this month) with particular relevance to their Lithium Ion batteries, and the two fires experienced , used on this aircraft. Many of the contributors are highly qualified to comment and contains some extremely valuable information to us as lithium users, particularly on the care and management of this chemistry. The information on failure modes is interesting to say the least. The various charts and tables are of particular value as is the direction to "Battery University". There is also coverage of the difficulty experienced by the firefighters at BOS when trying to kill the lithium fire on the ANA 787.

In my own research into model lithium batteries I have found that the PowerBox packs really ARE ahead of the game as these packs contain, in their integrated charging electronics, temperature monitoring to detect and protect against, the possibilty of thermal runaway, and also monitor temperatures to ensure that the charging process is conducted only within permitted temperature boundaries which should go a long way to prevent the possibility of fires and/or explosions and extend battery life.


The location is:

http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/50569...-part-1-a.html

David Gladwin.