**Equipped with Technology to Self-Extinguish Secondary Battery Fires**
Samsung C&T is enhancing fire prevention and safety management systems by incorporating apartment fire safety technology. They are launching initiatives to create “safe apartments” by releasing fire extinguishing agents during fires and expelling smoke from underground parking lots.
According to Samsung C&T on the 10th, a “smart charging box” featuring a self-extinguishing function has been introduced at the Raemian La Vina construction site in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, to prevent fires arising from increased usage of secondary battery batteries.
Currently, secondary battery charging for construction site tools is conducted in dedicated non-flammable storage boxes. Although an automatic diffusion extinguisher is installed on the ceiling of the storage box to assist with initial response during fires, completely extinguishing secondary battery fires had limitations.
To address this, Samsung C&T jointly developed a smart charging box with self-extinguishing technology alongside the Korea Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association. The interior of the charging box is equipped with an 8-liter fire extinguishing liquid, proven for its extinguishing performance on lithium-ion batteries. It also contains three temperature sensors and two fire extinguishing agent spray nozzles to automatically detect and release extinguishing agents when a fire occurs during battery charging. A cooling fan is also implemented to prevent overheating.
The risk of secondary battery fires extends beyond construction sites to electric bicycle batteries and other everyday spaces within apartment complexes. Samsung C&T plans to install smart charging boxes in common areas of new Raemian complexes to allow residents to safely store and charge various high-risk secondary batteries.
The smart charging box has been available for sale via Samsung C&T’s housing life care platform, HomeNik App, since May.
Furthermore, Samsung C&T, collaborating with HVAC specialist Donghae Giyun, is developing a high-performance smoke evacuation system called the “Reversible Heat-resistant Fan”. Existing underground parking fans were only used for ventilation and relied solely on sprinklers for fire response. The reversible heat-resistant fan operates in low airflow mode under normal conditions but optimally adjusts airflow and direction in real-time to expel smoke during a fire.
Notably, in cases of electric vehicle fires, the system forcibly expels toxic gases with maximum airflow and establishes an air curtain within the charging space, ensuring residents and rescue workers have ample time for safe evacuation and entry.
Additionally, Samsung C&T proposed a collaborative development of a leak-detection sprinkler with firefighting equipment specialist Paratech. This sprinkler includes a cover with a drainage hole around the head, enabling rapid visual confirmation of leakage. This helps detect potential sprinkler failures early and prevents fires. It also prevents water damage from equipment malfunctions, simultaneously enhancing safety and the quality of residential spaces. This technology will be applied sequentially to new Raemian projects in the future.
Samsung C&T has established a dedicated firefighting technology group within its housing development division to focus on fire prevention at apartment sites. Comprised of certified fire safety professionals, this group is responsible for creating fire safety standards tailored to apartment construction sites and developing fire safety technology. Additionally, they are building a preventative safety management system suited to actual construction sites by exceeding legal standards through fire safety manager training and site inspections.
A Samsung C&T representative stated, “We are continuously expanding related organizations and technology development to create residential facilities safe from fire, both during and post-construction,” adding that “we aim to establish a residential environment where customers can feel secure, based on a comprehensive fire safety system covering site and life safety.”