Fire Behavior of E-Tablets Stored in Aircraft Galley Carts

Details

• Creators:
  Maloney, Thomas ; Tan, Jonathan ; NG, Mun Cheok
• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Airplanes Fires Flammability Tests Inflight Entertainment Lithium Batteries
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/TC-TN14/40
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
• Abstract:
  The use of electronic-tablets (e-tablets) as replacements for conventional in-flight entertainment systems has gained popularity among airlines globally. Innovative methods of storing and charging e-tablets in galley carts have been suggested or are already in service with some airlines.
  
  The danger of thermal runaway in the lithium-ion-pouch batteries that are used in these e-tablets is well known, but the potential fire hazard resulting from e-tablets being stored and charged in galley carts or a similar enclosure has not been established. To examine this potential fire hazard, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Federal Aviation Administration conducted a series of tests to investigate the behavior of e-tablet fires.
  
  Tests were conducted within a galley cart and thermal runaway of the e-tablet lithium-ion-pouch battery was initiated by either a heat plate or an external alcohol fire. The arrangement of e-tablets inside the galley cart followed the typical methods of storage proposed by airlines and design organizations. The objectives of the tests were to determine a suitable storage configuration for the e-tablets, which would prevent the propagation of thermal runaway, and to determine the effect that thermal runaway would have on a typical galley cart.
  
  Ten tests were conducted. The results of these tests showed the potential fire hazards associated with bulk storage of e-tablets in a galley cart or similar enclosure. Additional work is recommended to determine the desirable features of galley carts to contain a lithium battery fire and prevent the danger associated with fire, smoke intensity, and explosion.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:afe02f5cf568a6ce69b20fca21a3c83e669ea48e0c29179c98b077a729ab7c02cf7edf04038de6acf2b44067baf4646c9d0fc58b116619510268554fdd1dca0d
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/29058/dot_29058_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.72 MB ]