Dry Chemical Suppression for Lithium Compounds Presented by: Brian R. Donner, CET

Objectives • What is Lithium and Lithium Compounds? • Protection of Lithium Compounds • Applicable Codes • Types of Dry Chemical Agents • Dry Chemical System Design • Alarms and Controls • Safety and Training

What is Lithium? • Belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements

What is Lithium?

• Is a soft, silver-white metal • Lightest metal known

What is Lithium? • Under standard conditions it is the lightest

metal and the least dense solid element • Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive

and flammable • Pyrophoric

What is Pyrophoric? • Pyrophoric

– FCNYS Chapter 41 – Section 4102.1; Definition – A chemical with an auto ignition

temperature in air, at or below a temperature of 130°F.

Common Uses of Lithium and its Compounds • Used in industrial applications such as:

– Electronics; Lithium and Lithium-ion battery

– Alloys used in aircraft – Heat-resistant glass and ceramics

Protection of Lithium Compounds

• Re-ignition is a key problem • NO WATER!! • Extinguishing agents

– Dry Chemical – Foam – CO2?

Codes NFPA 17 Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems

Codes

• Building and Fire Code of New York State BCNYS/FCNYS

• BCNYS – Chapter 9, Section 904 • FCNYS – Chapter 9, 34, & 41

Codes • FM Global • Local Authority Having Jurisdiction • Other insurance requirements

Example Building

Example Building

Example Building • n-Butyllithium • Stored as a liquid suspended in hexane • Room is separated from other areas of

the building with rated construction

Types of Dry Chemical Agents

Types of Dry Chemical Agents • Monoammonium Phosphate

– a.k.a. “multipurpose” or “ABC” Fires – More corrosive than other dry chemical

agents

• Sodium Bicarbonate – “BC” Fires

Types of Dry Chemical Agents • Potassium Bicarbonate

– “Purple K” – Used on class B and C fires. About two

times as effective on class B fires as sodium bicarbonate, it is the preferred dry chemical agent of the oil and gas industry

Types of Dry Chemical Agents • MET-L-KYL

– Specialty variation of sodium bicarbonate for fighting pyrophoric fires

– In addition to sodium bicarbonate, it also contains silica gel particles

– The sodium bicarbonate interrupts the chain reaction of the fuel and the silica soaks up any unburned fuel, preventing contact with air

Dry Chemical System Design • Total Flood

– Size of room or area being protected – Cubic volume of room.

• Local Application

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

• Releasing Panels • Tanks/cylinders • Detection • Notification appliances • Manual pull stations

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Releasing panel Addressable vs. Non-Addressable

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Releasing

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Tanks/Cylinders

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Smoke or Heat Detectors What type of environment is space?

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Notification Devices

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Manual Pull Stations • Different pull

stations for multiple systems

Dry Chemical System Alarms/Controls

Gas Monitoring

Dry Chemical System Design Signs/Identification

Maintenance and Training • Fire Department involvement • Employee training • Safety precautions • MSDS Sheets

Safety Items to Consider • Personnel training • Warning signs • Pre-discharge alarms • Discharge alarms • Respiratory protection

Questions?? • What is one of the key problems when

fighting lithium fires? • What is one of the main goals for

extinguishing lithium fires? • Why is training important ?

Thank you! Dry Chemical Suppression for Lithium Compounds Presented by: Brian R. Donner, CET