Pact LLC Packaging & Crating Technologies, Waterbury, CT, U.S., introduces Thermo Shield, a paper-based, fire-resistant shipping wrap designed to prevent catastrophes caused by battery explosions during transport. The Thermo Shield TMS Kit (Thermal Management System) is a corrugated packaging system for safe storage and shipment of lithium batteries, battery packs, and smaller electronic devices.
Utilizing a technology that actively and automatically cools the internal environment of a corrugated container, the paper-based, meant to be a 100% recyclable protective logistics product, should prevent damage to the outside shipping container, suppress fumes or gasses from escaping, and limit external oxygen supply.
Thermo Shield is made to comprise a lightweight pleated material with a non-toxic moisture vapor application that would ensure the safety of lithium-ion products in transport. The system can suppress thermal runaway and propagation at temperatures up to 800°C, and restrict the temperature outside the wrap itself to 80°C.
The system’s credentials are meant to be an improvement: Thermo Shield is a paper-based wrap system that is meant to exceed the proposed SAE G27 lithium battery packaging performance standards for safety in shipping via air, land, and sea. The shipper also is lightweight and reusable, lending to cost efficiency both at initial purchase and during use.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a lithium battery explosion occurs during shipping once every 10 days. The urgent industry needs to mitigate these dangerous mishaps, which Pact hopes to do with Thermo Shield through limiting the amount of thermal runaway to protect both logistics personnel and valuable cargo.
Thermo Shield arrives at a time when more industries than ever are relying on lithium batteries to power their products. The United Parcel Service (UPS) estimates that just seven of their customers are responsible for shipping over 40 million lithium-ion batteries per year. The majority of cells or battery packs are produced in Asia, leading to long transit times when shipping to the Western Hemisphere. The increase in battery shipments can lead to more opportunities for explosions. The FAA reports that as of January 22, 2020, 268 incidents involving lithium batteries have occurred on planes since 2006—including a record 48 in 2018.
“Lithium battery fires are dangerous events that happen far too often,” says Rodger Mort, president of Pact, LLC. “Thermo Shield’s groundbreaking design allows it to suppress these serious incidents to protect freight transporters and the cargo they’re tasked with delivering.”