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Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

news.cfa.vic.gov.au

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Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#11

Post by Reason077 »

rjzzleep wrote: post #9
Reason077 wrote: post #6

According to recent reports[1], Tesla is transitioning to using Iron Phosphate (LFP) Li-ion cells in it's Megapack stationary storage products. Unlike nickel-based cells, LFP is highly resistant to fire and thermal runaway. Presumably, this particular installation was still using nickel-based cells. [1] https://cleantechnica.com/2021/05/11/tesla-transitions-to-lf...

Who's paying for the transition? The customer or Tesla? Funny this got downvoted. Was this comment controversial in any way?

This will be for future Megapack orders/installations/deliveries.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#12

Post by sandworm101 »

>> inside a shipping container

These things don't look like shipping containers. They appear to be the same size/shape and have the proper attachment points to be handled as shipping containers, but are they actual containers?

Even Tesla wouldn't go so far as to mount batteries inside standard shipping containers. They might make ok housing but with all the thermal/electrical issues a bespoke design would be appropriate. The money saved by using a stock container is nothing compared to the cost of the product installed inside.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#13

Post by mnw21cam »

abledon wrote: post #10

Whats stopping them from erecting a barrier around the battery in question and just burying it in sand?

Burying it in sand would presumably keep it hot for even longer. Sometimes the best strategy is simply to move everything combustible away from it and let it burn out by itself. A heat-proof barrier might have helped.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#14

Post by akdor1154 »

teruakohatu wrote: post #4

Not a car battery. > a 13-tonne lithium battery inside a shipping container The other ~99 container battery packs survived.

Oh, so only the 1 would be likely to start a massive bushfire if this happened in summer? That makes me feel better.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#16

Post by s_dev »

rjzzleep wrote: post #9
Reason077 wrote: post #6

According to recent reports[1], Tesla is transitioning to using Iron Phosphate (LFP) Li-ion cells in it's Megapack stationary storage products. Unlike nickel-based cells, LFP is highly resistant to fire and thermal runaway. Presumably, this particular installation was still using nickel-based cells. [1] https://cleantechnica.com/2021/05/11/tesla-transitions-to-lf...

Who's paying for the transition? The customer or Tesla? Funny this got downvoted. Was this comment controversial in any way?

>Who's paying for the transition? The customer or Tesla?

Since nearly all Tesla revenue comes from Tesla customers I would imagine the customers will be ultimately footing the bill.

>Was this comment controversial in any way?

Honestly it comes off as cynical and a little dumb -- which is why it might be grey. If a business agrees to a cost -- it will be the customers paying for that cost. Your peevish "Who is paying for this" tone suggests you're being indignant as though you're being asked to cough up some dollars here.

And like reddit asking why you're being downvoted will lead to more downvotes.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#17

Post by Gravityloss »

rjzzleep wrote: post #9
Reason077 wrote: post #6

According to recent reports[1], Tesla is transitioning to using Iron Phosphate (LFP) Li-ion cells in it's Megapack stationary storage products. Unlike nickel-based cells, LFP is highly resistant to fire and thermal runaway. Presumably, this particular installation was still using nickel-based cells. [1] https://cleantechnica.com/2021/05/11/tesla-transitions-to-lf...

Who's paying for the transition? The customer or Tesla? Funny this got downvoted. Was this comment controversial in any way?

I downvoted because it was reading the original comment in a bad / unhelpful way and didn't contribute to the discussion.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#18

Post by Bayart »

abledon wrote: post #10

Whats stopping them from erecting a barrier around the battery in question and just burying it in sand?

That would worsen it, as the sand would act as an insulator and increase the temperature of the battery rather than dissipate it.

A battery « fire » is powered by the energy stored within, not by something being combusted.

Re: Firefighters bring large battery fire near Geelong under control

#20

Post by gruez »

akdor1154 wrote: post #14
teruakohatu wrote: post #4

Not a car battery. > a 13-tonne lithium battery inside a shipping container The other ~99 container battery packs survived.

Oh, so only the 1 would be likely to start a massive bushfire if this happened in summer? That makes me feel better.

Any more likely than a gas/diesel fire? I'd imagine most of the fire risk is at the start, when first responders haven't arrived yet. Once they arrive any wildfire risk is minimal because it can be immediately put out. In that respect there probably isn't a big difference between a gas fire that burns for 1hr and a battery fire that burns for 4 days.
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