{"operation":"document","citation":"23-0045","title":"L-H Battery Company, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2024-01-30","effective_on":null,"summary":"23-0045 response to L-H Battery Company, Inc. concerning 173.185.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0045.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0045.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0045","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/78181/230045web.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nJanuary 30, 2024\nMr. Rick Riggle\nChief Operating Officer\nL-H Battery Company, Inc.\n8500 Bluegrass Blvd. NW\nJeffersonville, OH 43128\nReference No. 23-0045\nDear Mr. Riggle:\nThis letter is in response to your April 17, 2023, letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to lithium ion batteries\ntransported by highway. In your letter, you describe a lithium ion battery module that weighs\nmore than 12 kg with an aluminum casing. As depicted in the photographs you provided, the\naluminum casing has a series of large ventilation slots on the top for heat dissipation, and a layer\nof poly carbonate that separates the cells from the casing and protects the cells from direct\nexposure. You ask whether the lithium ion battery module configuration with the large\nventilation slots satisfies the “strong-impact-resistant outer casing” requirement as specified in\n§ 173.185(b)(5).\n(1) Provided that the photographs—is strong and impact-resistant, aluminum casing with large ventilation slots—as depicted in your\nlithium ion (2) the batteries are secured to prevent\ninadvertent shifting, (3) the terminals do not support the weight of other superimposed elements,\nand (4) the lithium ion battery module configuration is further packaged in strong outer\npackagings, protective enclosures, or on pallets or other handling devices, the specific packaging configuration you describe and for which you provided\nphotographs is acceptable for highway transportation in accordance with § 173.185(b)(5).\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nOffice that it is the opinion of this\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nHi Alice,\nRegards,\n-Breanna\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: Request for Interpretation from L-H Battery Company, Inc.\nDate: Thursday, April 27, 2023 12:33:51 PM\nAttachments: Interpretation Letter 4.17.2023.docx.pdf\nAppdx A final.pdf\nAppdx B.pdf\nPlease see the attached LOI request.\nLet me know if you need anything else.\nFrom: Atriano, Vincent <vincent.atriano@squirepb.com>\nSent: Tuesday, April 18, 2023 7:16 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Request for Interpretation from L-H Battery Company, Inc.\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do\nnot click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content\nis safe.\nCONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION UNDER 49 CFR 105.30\nDear Sir or Madam:\nPlease find attached a Request for Letter of Interpretation from L-H Battery\nCompany, Inc. addressed to Mr. Shane Kelley.\nPlease note that only Appdx. A constitutes confidential business information\nunder 49 CFR 105.30. Vincent Atriano\nSquire Patton Boggs (US) LLP\n2000 Huntington Center\n41 South High Street\nColumbus, Ohio 43215\nT +1 614 365 2783\nO +1 614 365 2700\nM +1 614 579 4708Thank you.\nPartner\nF +1 614 365 2499\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nApril 17, 2023\nMr. Shane Kelley\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\ninfocntr@dot.gov\nRe: Request for Letter of Interpretation under 40 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5)\nDear Mr. Kelley:\nL-H Battery Company, Inc. has developed a module for new rechargeable lithium ion vehicle\nbatteries. The batteries will be used to power new electric vehicles.\nThe module is shown on the enclosed diagrams. See Appendix A.' The modules will hold\n24 individual lithium ion cells. The modules have passed the tests specified in Section 38.3\nof the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (namely, T.1 Altitude; T.2 Thermal; T.3 Vibration;\nT.4 Shock; T.5 External Short Circuit; T.6 Impact/Crush; T.8 Forced Discharge.) See\nAppendix B.\nThus, they are eligible to be offered in transportation. 49 C.F.R. §\n173.185(a)(1).\nThe dimensions of each battery module are 590(L) x 221(W) x 108(H) mm. The metal\ncasing itself is made of sturdy aluminum, and weighs 31 kg. The aluminum is 2 mm in\nthickness. As you can see from Appendix A, the casing will enclose the cells on all sides.\nHowever, the casing contains a series (18) of large slots at the top for heat dissipation.\nUnderneath the slotted aluminum casing is a layer of poly carbonate that separates the cells\nfrom the aluminum casing and prevents direct cell exposure.\nWe believe that these battery modules will meet the special packaging authorization of 49\nC.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5). They constitute \"lithium batteries that weigh 12 kg (26.5 pounds) or\nmore and have a strong, impact-resistant outer casing.\" The regulation does not specify that\nsuch casings have no slotted openings, or that such casings \"fully enclose\" the cells.\nConsequently, these batteries \"may be packed in strong outer packagings; in protective\nenclosures (for example, in fully enclosed or wooden slatted crates); or on pallets or other\nhandling devices, instead of packages meeting the UN performance packaging requirements\nin paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (iii) of this section.\" See 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5).\nWould you please confirm that our reading of 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5) is correct?\n1 Please note that we are requesting confidential treatment of Appendix A under 49 C.F.R. § 105.30. Appendix\nDisclosure of these materials would reveal the proprietary design specifications of the battery modules to\nA constitutes a trade secret, and its disclosure could cause competitive harm to L-H Battery Company, Inc.\ncompetitors, and allow them to reverse engineer competing battery modules, resulting in economic harm to L-H\nBattery Company, Inc.\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nShould you need any additional information, please let us know.\nThank you for your\nattention to this request.\nVery truly yours,\nRick Riggle, COO\nL-H Battery Company, Inc.\n8500 Bluegrass Blyd. NW\nJeffersonville, OH 43128\nEnclosures\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nvincent.atriano@squirepb.com | squirepattonboggs.com\nFind Us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram\nOver 40 Offices across 4 Continents\nThis message is confidential and may be legally privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. 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