Global engineering solutions provider Barnbrook Systems is in talks with major international airlines about innovative technology to combat battery fires in personal electronic devices.
It is discussing supply of its innovative E-bag system to improve safety on flights amid a sharp increase in the number of lithium-ion battery blazes in such gadgets as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, e-cigarettes and power packs.
The E-bag is made of smart nano technology fabric that adapts completely to smother fires by cutting off oxygen to a burning or smoking device.
Barnbrook’s gamechanging BlueCube remote sensing and condition monitoring technology can also provide live data on temperature and humidity inside the holdall.
Barnbrook has developed the cutting-edge fire-suppression solution with fellow Hampshire firm Flair with a bespoke design for the safety of airline passengers and crew.
Andrew Barnett, managing director of Barnbrook Systems, said: “The threat of lithium-ion battery fires has become of one aviation’s most pressing safety challenges.
“There has been a sharp uptick in the number of incidents involving faulty or damaged personal electronic devices (PEDs) igniting on passenger aircraft.
“Incidents of this kind in such a confined space has potentially catastrophic consequences.
“Major international airlines have recognised E-bag’s capabilities to protect passengers, crews and aircraft while delivering benefits for risk management and enhanced confidence in air travel.
“Ours discussions have been very promising and we are eager to progress these in the coming months to bring this transformative technology to the skies.”
Barnbrook and Flair launched E-bag at the Farnborough International Airshow in July.
Cabin crews are able to safely isolate, contain and extinguish blazes caused by batteries in PEDs by placing them in the bag for containment and suppression. Suspect devices emitting smoke or extreme heat can also be safely and efficiently dealt with.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says that it received 65 reports of lithium-ion battery fires involving PEDs carried by passengers in 2023 – a 60% increase on the previous year.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that the number of battery fires has risen by more than 42% from 2018 to 2023. It says that incidents of overheated lithium-ion batteries causing smoke, fire, or extreme heat on aircrafts are now happening at an average rate of more than one per week.
In May of this year, a passenger jet flying from Tenerife to Edinburgh was forced to make an emergency landing after a portable battery is believed to have overheated and started smoking.
Fifty-strong Barnbrook, which has CAA and FAA accreditations, is a prime contractor and subcontractor with multi-national firms, the UK MOD, and overseas governments.
Its BlueCube© remote monitoring technology can be fitted on many different kinds of assets to track and monitor different parameters in real time, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, GPS location, current and movement.
The major airlines in talks with Barnbrook are not being named at this stage.
Visit https://www.barnbrooksystems.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/barnbrook-systems-ltd or call 07501 007775 for more details.