New risks for vehicles with alternative fuels

摘要

What are the special problems involved with fires in alternative fuels? "In vehicles powered by compressed natural gas or hydrogen gas, the fuel is under high pressure, several hundred bar. Weakened containers or safety systems that do not manage to react lead to an increased risk for explosion in the case of a fire. Regarding electrical cars, the fumes from a burning battery release substances about which we do not yet know much. A burning electric car also needs cooling for a long time because the battery generates heat all of the time. This means that the fire can easily blaze up and accelerate again. Hydrogen gas burns with a colourless flame, which means it is hard to detect the fire. Moreover, it is odourless. Motor gas can lead to a BLEVE, an explosion where the heated liquid rapidly vaporises, after being heated by fire".