Thielmann protects batteries

LIVING IN A BOX

BATTERIES • ELECTRIC VEHICLES NEED LARGE BATTERIES. MOVING THEM AROUND REQUIRES A SPECIFIC SOLUTION, WHICH IS NOW BEING OFFERED BY THIELMANN

THE FUTURE OF personal transport looks likely to be electric: an aggressive phase-out of traditional hydrocarbon-powered private vehicles in many countries across the globe points to innovative solutions, of which electric power has the head-start.

What that means is that there will be an increasing need to manufacture and move the large lithium ion batteries that currently seem to be the power pack of choice for private cars. And, when we get a little further along this road, there will be a similar need to collect and recycle spent batteries. As regular readers of HCB know, there are tight but regularly changing regulations covering the transport of such batteries, with a lot of the current

THE TRANSPORT OF LARGE DAMAGED BATTERIES focus looking at how they are packaged for transport to contain the hazards they represent. Batteries that have been damaged in a collision, for instance, can represent a hazard of spontaneous ignition.

One manufacturer that has been working to find a solution is Thielmann, which has come up with what it calls the Battery Safe Box. Large enough to contain an automotive battery, these containers are capable of containing the fire and filtering any gases produced.

TRIED AND TESTED The Battery Safe Box, constructed of double-wall stainless steel, has been extensively tested and has been approved by BAM as meeting the ADR requirements for the transport of lithium batteries, as set down in the various packaging provisions and large packaging provisions.

The Battery Safe Box is available in two sizes: a 700-litre container capable of carrying a payload of 435 kg, and a 1,200-litre version with a capacity of 1,200 kg – Thielmann says this is the largest such box on the market. When not in use, the boxes can be stacked two high; after use, the Extover® filling material, which contains the fire and smoke and also acts as cushioning material, can be replaced and both the container and the filling material re-used. Integrated temperature monitoring and GPS tracking systems are available as options.

Thielmann is making the Battery Safe Box available for purchase and for short- or long-term rental. In addition, it offers a full-service option for a fixed fee, which includes the supply, collection and maintenance of boxes all around the world. Only Thielmann is permitted to inspect and maintain the boxes. This Full Handling Service also covers the collection of batteries, in whatever condition they are, for transport to a repair or recycling facility.

“Given the vast number of end-users for this application, we see a strong future for the Battery Safe Box – car manufacturers, garages, logistics companies and governments all have requirements for this technology,” Thielmann says. “We also see applications in the defence market, because as military vehicles increasingly include electric drive technology, customers in that segment are likely to emerge.” thielmann.com