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The choice of batteries for various applications, e.g., powering transport equipment in production and storage facilities, can have various grounds. Those making such a choice may be guided by different aspects of their use. It is important to rely on substantive grounds rather than apparent ones. Recently, and not for the first time, I came across a case where the main reason for giving up the use of lead-acid batteries in favor of lithium-ion ones were issues related to safety requirements. The decision-maker assumed that Li-ion batteries are better than lead-acid batteries because they do not generate all those problems associated with hydrogen emission. However, the question arises whether lithium-ion batteries are actually safer solutions today than lead-acid batteries. Seemingly yes, because at the design and investment implementation stage, requirements specified by standards and regulations—such as providing adequate ventilation—do not appear. During the charging of lead-acid batteries, hydrogen is generated as a result of water electrolysis. However, it should be kept in mind that this is a hazard that is very well understood and described. Hydrogen emission is highly predictable, whereas in the case of lithium-ion batteries, the hazards associated with the occurrence of the phenomenon called thermal runaway are currently completely unpredictable. As I mentioned above, in the case of hydrogen emission during the charging of lead-acid batteries, we are dealing with a well-understood phenomenon with a very predictable course; therefore, using appropriate safety measures, above all properly executed effective ventilation, we can eliminate the risk associated with these hazards. In the case of lithium-ion batteries, the possibility of an emergency state occurring and the associated hazard of fire or explosion is, given the current state of knowledge regarding technology characteristics and due to the rapid evolution of these technologies, largely unpredictable, and there are no reliable means for both preventing these events and mitigating the effects of their occurrence. So, if you think about it, it turns out that a seemingly simpler solution, which allows saving certain funds related, for example, to providing adequate ventilation for the battery charging area, ultimately results in us failing to ensure a certain level of safety and exposing ourselves to unpredictable hazards. Of course, this text is not intended to negate the use of Li-ion batteries, which for various reasons may be the only correct solution in specific cases. I merely wanted to draw attention to the sometimes flawed basis of decision-making, based on apparent advantages or solely on the desire to save money during the facility implementation stage, without taking into account the conditions of its subsequent operation.

P.S. As an interesting note, the graphic below was generated by AI.

#batteries #thermal-runaway #safety #fireprotection #firesafety #facilities

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