TUT11: Lithium Battery Transport Regulations: New Developments Impacting the Storage and Packaging of Lithium Batteries and a New Lithium Battery Hazard-Based Classification System for Shipping
Monday, March 25 | 2:00-4:00 pm
ABOUT THIS TUTORIAL:
Lithium batteries come in many forms, chemistries, and sizes, from button cells to large containerized lithium-ion batteries, and only one set of transportation regulations must address all known and potential hazards. Just as technology has evolved, transport regulations must also evolve to keep pace with the increasing chemistries, form factors, and applications.
TUTORIAL AGENDA:
2:00 pm Welcome and Introductions
Mary Ann Brown, Executive Director, Conferences, Cambridge EnerTech
2:15 Lithium Batteries in Storage and Transport
George A. Kerchner, Executive Director, PRBA – The Rechargeable Battery Association
Recent proposals to amend the International Fire Code address how lithium batteries are stored and prepared for transport. This session will provide an overview of the recent IFC proposals and how they may impact the storage and transport of new and used lithium batteries in the U.S. Other topics covered include upcoming changes to the U.S. and international lithium battery transport regulations including UN38.3 testing and new Test Summary requirements, compliant packaging, employee training, and shipping damaged/defective, refurbished, and waste lithium batteries.
2:45 Update on SAE G27 AS6413 Testing and Packing Standard
Christopher Egloff, Vice President, Sales, Americase, Inc.
The presentation is an update on the SAE G27’s AS6413 design and packaging performance testing. Additionally, the presentation offers a pictorial overview of Fulcrum Labs SAE G27 testing chamber, individual test setup and test results. Finally, we present Americase packaging solutions which are commercially available and have been utilized in the largest device and battery recoveries of the last decade (including currently available and R&D solutions for the future).
3:15 New Lithium Battery Hazard-Based Classification System for Transport
George A. Kerchner, Executive Director, PRBA – The Rechargeable Battery Association
The United Nation’s dangerous goods subcommittee responsible for developing regulations that govern the international transport of all dangerous goods has embarked on an ambitious project to develop a new hazard-based classification system for lithium batteries. This presentation will provide an update on United Nation’s work, the implications on companies shipping lithium batteries and battery powered projects, and how companies can become involved in this new classification project.
3:45 Interactive Q&A with Instructors and Participants
4:00 Close of Tutorial
INSTRUCTORS:
Christopher Egloff, Vice President, Sales, Americase, Inc.
Chris Egloff has extensive experience with regard to specialized testing and packaging design for lithium batteries. Chris Egloff is VP Sales for Americase and a principal partner in Fulcrum Labs. As the Hazardous Materials Packaging Specialist at Americase, Chris has been active in the research and development of fire/heat mitigating containers and packaging for over 13 years. For the past 9 years, he has concentrated his efforts in testing lithium ion and lithium metal batteries pushed into thermal runaway. These efforts have subsequently allowed Americase to design several packaging solutions for damaged and defective recall batteries. These solutions have been utilized by the vast majority of companies issuing recalls over the past several years. Chris became a co-founder of Fulcrum Testing labs in 2016, which specializes in the destructive testing of both lithium ion and lithium metal batteries. Fulcrum Testing is one of very few labs in the country with the ability and equipment to perform the difficult testing requirements for SAE-G27. He has had the honor to instruct private classes for regulatory members of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and has consulted companies like Apple, NASA, United, SATAIR, B/E Aerospace, and AVOX Systems on fire and heat mitigating packaging. In addition he has presented as an expert in his field for multiple ICAO DGP’s, LabelMaster’ s Dangerous Goods Instructors Symposium (DGIS), and IATA’s Lithium Battery Workshops.
George A. Kerchner, Executive Director, PRBA – The Rechargeable Battery Association
Mr. Kerchner has served as the Executive Director of PRBA – The Rechargeable Battery Association (www.prba.org) since 2006. He represents PRBA at domestic and international transportation forums such as the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel. He is also a Senior Regulatory Analyst with the law firm of Wiley Rein in Washington, DC. He provides dangerous goods consulting services and regularly conducts dangerous goods training programs for shippers of lithium batteries, EVs, and other dangerous goods.
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