AmSafe Bridport, a U.K.-based business that develops engineered textiles designed for safety in the aerospace industry, conducted a full-scale test with a certified fire containment cover system on a lithium-ion battery fire. The test, using lithium batteries covered by the fire containment cover, took more than six hours, with the fire being successfully suppressed.
The company claims to have the only technical standard-order product required by the Federal Aviation Administration for a fire containment cover. The fire containment textiles are designed for the protection of undeclared dangerous goods. Currently, lithium-ion batteries have been determined to pose a significant threat to air transport. In July, Boeing issued a warning to its customers that flying bulk shipments of the batteries can cause fires capable of destroying large aircraft. The fire containment cover is designed for full protection of a pallet load. AmSafe also makes a separate fire containment bag used for smaller shipments. AmSafe said both products provide passive protection from fire on board, which would give the crew time to make an emergency landing. The fire containment bag can be customized to any size.