Lithium Battery Storage

[midwestFCO]

I am trying to find in the IBC or the IFC the limit on the amount of lithium battery storage a faclity can have and the limitations on it, such as is it total per building or fire control area, etc. The only thing I have been able to find is in the California Fire Code (doesn't apply here unfortunately) limiting it to 25 pounds indoors.

My scenario is a testing lab within a fully-sprinklered B-use occupancy that is wanting to perform tests on the batteries. The lab is also a B-use, so it has no H requirements and no direct fire separation from other parts of the building. I think we are OK with them performing the testing because it is on a limited scale, but the issue is the storage while they are waiting to be tested.

I am happy to answer add'l questions if needed and appreciate the help in advance.

 

[mjesse]

I would go with the tables in 2703 (2006 IFC) for storage of corrosive materials.

 

[Frank]

I am trying to find in the IBC or the IFC the limit on the amount of lithium battery storage a faclity can have and the limitations on it, such as is it total per building or fire control area, etc. The only thing I have been able to find is in the California Fire Code (doesn't apply here unfortunately) limiting it to 25 pounds indoors..

25 pounds of Lithium Ion Batteries would be exceeded in most schools and office buildings due to the laptops and the batteries weighing about 1 pound each.

Each Chevy Volt Battery weighs 435 #

 

[north star]

* * * *

midwestFCO,



Welcome to The Building Codes Forum!

Are you asking about a storage of batteries in a single

concentrated location, or an aggregate amount, in various

locations throughout a single building space, ...both,

or other?

* * * *

 

[globe trekker]

See this link for "Advantages", as well as, "Disadvantages" of the lithium ion type

battery.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/is_lithium_ion_the_ideal_battery



.

 

[cda]

have not read it::

http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/pdf/research/lithiumionbatteryproceedings.pdf

do you have a msds for them???

 

[midwestFCO]

Thanks north star - I am looking for both. I need the concentrated location for this specific project, but as it turns out they have more storage throughout the facility so I need the aggregate too. They closed a lab building in another state I was the lucky recipient of all the testing they did in that lab.

cda - I do have the msds. It did not really help with storage MAQ. It is called: Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery (rechargeable). Thanks for the link, I did run across that in my exploration, but it too did not help a whole lot, but sounds as if NFPA agrees they need to get a handle on it because battery storage is becoming a larger issue. That is at least my cliff noted version of it.

 

[cda]

I guess if the msds says not that much of a problem, in the form it is being used in, how can it be deemed a higher hazard by ahj??

You could ask for a technical report