In its latest update on a fire in a Boeing 787 in Boston, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the jet’s lithium-ion battery hadn’t been overcharged. But safety officials said are still investigating if there is a problem with any of the battery’s components.
http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2013/130120.html
In a statement Sunday the NTSB said it has examined flight recorder data from the Japan Airlines Boeing 787 airplane that had a fire Jan. 7 at Logan International Airport in Boston. That data showed that the “battery did not exceed its designed voltage of 32 volts,” according to the NTSB.
The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all 787s last week after a second battery incident Jan. 15 involving an All Nippon Airways B-787.
As for the Boston 787 incident, the NTSB reported that the lithium-ion battery that powered the auxiliary power unit has been examined at the safety body’s Materials Laboratory in Washington.
“The battery was X-rayed and CT scans were generated of the assembled battery,” the NTSB said. “The investigative team has disassembled the APU battery into its eight individual cells for detailed examination and documentation. Three of the cells were selected for more detailed radiographic examination to view the interior of the cells prior to their disassembly. These cells are in the process now of being disassembled and the cell’s internal components are being examined and documented.”
In addition, investigators examined several other components removed from the airplane, including wire bundles and battery-management circuit boards.
“The team has developed test plans for the various components removed from the aircraft, including the battery management unit (for the APU battery), the APU controller, the battery charger and the start power unit,” the NTSB said .
On Tuesday the group is slated to convene in Arizona to test and examine the battery charger and download nonvolatile memory from the APU controller. Several other components have been sent for download or examination to Boeing’s facility in Seattle and manufacturer’s facilities in Japan.