box. Once the temperature reaches 240 degrees, the material activates and the box closes itself, preventing the flames from escaping. The goal, at least initially, is to contain the fire because extinguishing lithium-ion fires is often a complicated task.
The LithFire-X box can also be used to transport damaged or defective batteries to a recycling facility. “We consider extinguishment to be different from suppression,” Butler explains. “We do suppression.”
“Companies rely on a sophisticated battery management system that will shut down certain battery functions in case of fire,” Flood says. “Our system will react to the flames and then flood the environment with liquid to cool it.” Because the material itself reacts to the fire, the vehicle’s computer system isn’t involved. So there’s no risk of a fire short-circuiting its own suppression system, which LithFire-X sees as an advantage.
LithFire-X’s products are gaining some traction. Although Butler and Flood declined to publicly identify their primary customers, they say they include a foreign automobile manufacturer and multiple domestic manufacturers. LithFire-X is also making money from contract work for manufacturers in a variety of sectors, as well as government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense.
Flood and Butler say they have competitors, but none focused solely on a similar type of fire suppression system. And even though we’re already living in a world that runs on lithium-ion batteries, LithFire-X predicts further growth for the company after new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are implemented in 2025. Flood says that the easiest way to meet those standards is to implement “stop-start” technology across all vehicles.
“To do that, you need another 40 volt lithium-ion battery [in each vehicle],” Flood points out. “Now you have the possibility of a compromised battery and gas tank in every car. It just shows how lithium-ion batteries are an integral part of life, and people aren’t going to go back.”
LithFire-X is working with Wayne State’s patent clinic to trademark its intellectual property. Because of Flood’s age, the company’s application is being fast-tracked. “Once you’re over 75, you go to the head of the line,” Flood says with a grin.
In the meantime, as they continue to test and refine their fire suppression system, Butler and Flood are meeting with companies all over the world to sound the alarm on lithium-ion battery safety and offer their solution. Eventually, they plan to concentrate on military and airplane applications.
“We believe we have an affordable solution that won’t disrupt [the manufacturer’s] business,” Flood adds. “Most of our solutions can be easily synthesized into their current manufacturing processes. If we can conquer that, we can start working on other solutions.”
