With the increasing introduction of electric buses, the risk of electrical fires in bus depots, particularly at EV charging points, has become a significant concern. Charging points and electrical cabinets pose a considerable fire hazard due to the high amount of electricity running through them. The issue of fires on electric buses has been discussed in industry circles and the broader media. However, attention is now also turning to the fire risks associated with charging infrastructure. Elite Vehicle Supplies offers a pioneering automatic fire suppression system for EV charging infrastructure.
Why protect EV charging points?
As operators integrate more electric vehicles into their fleets, the number of chargers and electrical cabinets required per depot rises. This increase correlates with the growing volume of electricity they manage, highlighting the need for robust protection measures.
Electrical fires pose a serious risk to safety, but they also significantly affect the operator’s capacity to maintain regular service routes. Maintaining continuous charging capability is necessary to keep electric vehicle fleets operating smoothly.
Lithium-ion battery fires can be hazardous because of their intensity and the toxic smoke. These fires are notably tricky to extinguish, making preventing electrical fires a key priority to protect personnel and operations. The risk of lithium-ion battery fires can be decreased by safeguarding EV chargers, cabinets, and electrical fire hazards.
Why choose Elite? Elite has worked with Nottingham City Transport (NCT) to protect charging infrastructure at bus depots. Elite has installed its system at NCT’s Trent Bridge depot, and Elite believes it is the first bus operator in Europe to have this protection.
The system is equipped with advanced linear heat detection technology. This detection tubing is strategically installed throughout the chargers and cabinets, covering all fire hazards inside the enclosure. Filled with a pressurised gas, the tubing rapidly reacts to increases in temperature.
When a fire occurs, the heat causes the tubing to burst at the exact point of the temperature rise. The pressure drop activates the system and releases the extinguishing agent into the tubing network.
The agent is then propelled out through the ruptured section of the tubing, ensuring that the suppression efforts are targeted directly at the area affected by a rise in temperature. This direct application maximises the agent’s efficiency and significantly reduces the risk of damage or spread.
Key Benefits
The system provides several key benefits, including rapid fire detection and suppression, ensuring immediate response without human intervention. Elite offers a sounder beacon that activates when the system has deployed, providing an audible alert to personnel for prompt action. Additionally, the system can automatically cut off the power supply to the affected charger. A residue-free extinguishing agent eliminates the need for additional clean-up and prevents damage to sensitive equipment, thereby maintaining the operational integrity of the charging infrastructure.
With the increasing number of electric buses being introduced, safeguarding EV charging points has now become high on the agenda of all bus operators. Elite Vehicle Supplies’ ground-breaking automatic fire suppression system steps up to this challenge, helping to detect any rise in temperatures, minimising damage, and ensuring EV charging infrastructure’s operational integrity.
