Hi Simon; On Tue, 8 Mar 2011, Simon Hackett wrote:
> How does the old saying go? > > "Most generalisations are in accurate, including this one" > > For what its worth, I've airfreighted 6831 lithium ion batteries (charged) in > the belly of 747's across the Pacific multiple times in the last few years. > > They were wrapped up in a Tesla Roadster - which has permission to be > freighted in this way because its installation is highly safe and actively > controlled. > > My understanding is that the source of thermal runaway here is related to > loose batteries shorting out in transit - which would certainly be a bad > thing (noting that I've not read the issue concerned as yet as the CASA > carrier pigeon does not yet appear to have reached my office). One of the chief problems with lithium ion batteries is that thermal runaway can be initiated by mechanical reconfiguration of the battery or failure of the circuity internal to the battery. > > My point here, in practice, is that there is a distinction between LiIon > arrays that are hard wired into operational units under active control, > versus loose batteries (or batteries that can become loose) that aren't > actually being conditioned by active circuits. > > I guess point is that saying that the article below implies that its unsafe > to run LiIon in your wings is a bit disingenuous without pointing out that > the energy stored in them is a tiny fraction of the energy stored in an > equivalent volume of 100LL or Jet A1 sitting in the wings of an aircraft. > > The destructive potential of the latter dwarfs that of the former, and yet, > surprisingly, I find that we still seem to commit aviation in aircraft > powered by such a dangerous energy source as liquid fuel regardless of the > manifest risks. > The destructive potential of lithium ion batteries and Jet A1 in the wing together is much greater than either of those two items in the wing alone. > Once your wind full of 100LL is burning, its also a tad harder to stop it > burning than it is to disconnect a battery. > > Strange world, isn't it. Everyone has their agenda, and seems happy to find > evidence to fit their presumption of the outcome before doing the analysis > (and I do not claim that I am an exception in this regard, being human). > > Simon > > > On 04/03/2011, at 12:30 PM, DMcD wrote: > > > The latest issue of the CAA Flight Safety comic has just arrived. > > > > There's a fun article on Lithium Batteries "The Cargo from Hell." The > > headline says "Lithium batteries are emerging as a 21st century > > aviation hazard. > > > > Fun reading for electro-power enthusiasts. Probably best not to store > > them anywhere important? like in your wings. > > > > D > > Cheers -- Peter F Bradshaw: http://www.exadios.com (public keys avaliable there). Personal site: http://personal.exadios.com "I love truth, and the way the government still uses it occasionally to keep us guessing." - Sam Kekovich. _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
