There is a rising global demand for zero-emissions green energy and lithium-ion batteries provide an effective solution; however, LIB production involves multiple processes that come with a very high risk of ignition that can result in a chain reaction of fire, explosion, and release of toxic gases. Mitigation of potential fire risks is an essential part of factory design when planning the construction of a LIB gigafactory.

The Main Causes of Battery Fires:

• Thermal Abuse: Ignition of the battery cell by external heat or flame sources.
• Mechanical Abuse: The ignition of the battery cell due to damage caused by physical factors such as dropping, crushing and puncturing.
• Electrical Abuse: The ignition of the battery during charging due to factors such as charging above its capacity, exposure to high voltage, charging or discharging too fast.

Thermal Runaway:

Any of the abusive factors that can occur on batteries can destabilize the structure of the battery, causing it to start generating heat by chemical reaction. This can lead to “thermal runaway”, which is an uncontrolled reaction. If this reaches a certain level, it triggers chemical reactions that generate more heat and pressure, causing a positive feedback loop. This continues until the battery unit completely burns itself out.

Passive Fire Safety Measures:

To prevent loss of life in case of fire; passive fire safety measures, which are the elements of architectural fire safety, must be fully implemented. These include personnel emergency evacuation planning; escape distances and suitability checks of exits, correct design and applications of emergency lighting and guidance systems to be used during evacuation.

It is the determination of the fire compartment requirements that stops the spread of fire and/or explosion and confirms that it is correctly implemented. In order to provide fire compartmentation, all walls, floor and ceilings of the space must be at the fire resistance level specified by the regulation and all openings passing through the space must be isolated with appropriate fire-resistant devices and products (such as fire doors, dampers, passive insulation applications).

Active Fire Safety Measures:

Selection of extinguishing systems suitable for the storage area: It is the use of appropriate extinguishing systems considering the warehouse ceiling height, storage type and chemical content of the batteries stored. In battery fires, even if complete extinguishing cannot be achieved until the product consumes itself; the fire can be taken under control and prevented from spreading by suppression.

Taking Warehouse Monitoring and Tracking Measures:

It is essential to monitor the temperature of batteries; limit the storage charge rate, avoid overcharging and keep the ambient temperature within a safe range. Proper ventilation, early detection systems and emergency response plans can also help mitigate the consequences of thermal runaway if it occurs. Thermal imaging can be a useful tool to monitor the temperature of battery cells and prevent thermal runaway The storage space must not be used for other purposes and battery units must not be stored externally (mixed storage).

EU Regulation 2023/1542:

Regulation EU 2023/1542, effective as of 18 February 2024, establishes a regulatory framework to rule the entire battery lifecycle – from production to recycling and disposal – to ensure safety, sustainability, and competitiveness in the EU market. The new regulation introduces stringent requirements for production, labelling, and waste treatment, with particular focus on lithium batteries, which are among the most widely used and potentially hazardous.

To find out more about the latest in fire prevention methods, innovations  and regulations in Europe, meet with solution providers and hear talks from industry leaders, attend the 3rd European Battery Gigafactory Summit: Advances in Planning, Engineering and Operations taking place in Berlin, Germany on May 14-15, 2025.

For more information, visit our website or email us at info@innovatrix.eu for the event agenda.