Mechanism of internal thermal runaway propagation in blade batteries

Blade batteries are extensively used in electric vehicles,but unavoidable thermal runaway is an inherent threat to their safe use.This study experimentally investigated the mechanism underlying thermal runaway propagation within a blade battery by using a nail to trigger thermal runaway and thermocouples to track its propagation inside a cell.The results showed that the internal thermal runaway could propagate for up to 272 s,which is comparable to that of a traditional battery module.The velocity of the thermal runaway propagation fluctuated between 1 and 8 mm s^(-1),depending on both the electrolyte content and high-temperature gas diffusion.In the early stages of thermal runaway,the electrolyte participated in the reaction,which intensified the thermal runaway and accelerated its propagation.As the battery temperature increased,the electrolyte evaporated,which attenuated the acceleration effect.Gas diffusion affected thermal runaway propagation through both heat transfer and mass transfer.The experimental results indicated that gas diffusion accelerated the velocity of thermal runaway propagation by 36.84%.We used a 1D mathematical model and confirmed that convective heat transfer induced by gas diffusion increased the velocity of thermal runaway propagation by 5.46%-17.06%.Finally,the temperature rate curve was analyzed,and a three-stage mechanism for internal thermal runaway propagation was proposed.In Stage I,convective heat transfer from electrolyte evaporation locally increased the temperature to 100℃.In Stage II,solid heat transfer locally increases the temperature to trigger thermal runaway.In StageⅢ,thermal runaway sharply increases the local temperature.The proposed mechanism sheds light on the internal thermal runaway propagation of blade batteries and offers valuable insights into safety considerations for future design.

Effect of safety valve types on the gas venting behavior and thermal runaway hazard severity of large-format prismatic lithium iron phosphate batteries

The safety valve is an important component to ensure the safe operation of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,the effect of safety valve type on the thermal runaway(TR)and gas venting behavior of LIBs,as well as the TR hazard severity of LIBs,are not known.In this paper,the TR and gas venting behavior of three 100 A h lithium iron phosphate(LFP)batteries with different safety valves are investigated under overheating.Compared to previous studies,the main contribution of this work is in studying and evaluating the effect of gas venting behavior and TR hazard severity of LFP batteries with three safety valve types.Two significant results are obtained:(Ⅰ)the safety valve type dominates over gas venting pressure of battery during safety venting,the maximum gas venting pressure of LFP batteries with a round safety valve is 3320 Pa,which is one order of magnitude higher than other batteries with oval or cavity safety valve;(Ⅱ)the LFP battery with oval safety valve has the lowest TR hazard as shown by the TR hazard assessment model based on gray-fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.This study reveals the effect of safety valve type on TR and gas venting,providing a clear direction for the safety valve design.

Heat transfer enhanced inorganic phase change material compositing carbon nanotubes for battery thermal management and thermal runaway propagation mitigation

Developing technologies that can be applied simultaneously in battery thermal management(BTM)and thermal runaway(TR)mitigation is significant to improving the safety of lithium-ion battery systems.Inorganic phase change material(PCM)with nonflammability has the potential to achieve this dual function.This study proposed an encapsulated inorganic phase change material(EPCM)with a heat transfer enhancement for battery systems,where Na_(2)HPO_(4)·12H_(2)O was used as the core PCM encapsulated by silica and the additive of carbon nanotube(CNT)was applied to enhance the thermal conductivity.The microstructure and thermal properties of the EPCM/CNT were analyzed by a series of characterization tests.Two different incorporating methods of CNT were compared and the proper CNT adding amount was also studied.After preparation,the battery thermal management performance and TR propagation mitigation effects of EPCM/CNT were further investigated on the battery modules.The experimental results of thermal management tests showed that EPCM/CNT not only slowed down the temperature rising of the module but also improved the temperature uniformity during normal operation.The peak battery temperature decreased from 76℃to 61.2℃at 2 C discharge rate and the temperature difference was controlled below 3℃.Moreover,the results of TR propagation tests demonstrated that nonflammable EPCM/CNT with good heat absorption could work as a TR barrier,which exhibited effective mitigation on TR and TR propagation.The trigger time of three cells was successfully delayed by 129,474 and 551 s,respectively and the propagation intervals were greatly extended as well.

Early warning method for thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries under thermal abuse condition based on online electrochemical impedance monitoring

Early warning of thermal runaway(TR)of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)is a significant challenge in current application scenarios.Timely and effective TR early warning technology is urgently required considering the current fire safety situation of LIBs.In this work,we report an early warning method of TR with online electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS)monitoring,which overcomes the shortcomings of warning methods based on traditional signals such as temperature,gas,and pressure with obvious delay and high cost.With in-situ data acquisition through accelerating rate calorimeter(ARC)-EIS test,the crucial features of TR were extracted using the RReliefF algorithm.TR mechanisms corresponding to the features at specific frequencies were analyzed.Finally,a three-level warning strategy for single battery,series module,and parallel module was formulated,which can successfully send out an early warning signal ahead of the self-heating temperature of battery under thermal abuse condition.The technology can provide a reliable basis for the timely intervention of battery thermal management and fire protection systems and is expected to be applied to electric vehicles and energy storage devices to realize early warning and improve battery safety.

Smart materials for safe lithium-ion batteries against thermal runaway

In recent years,the new energy storage system,such as lithium ion batteries(LIBs),has attracted much attention.In order to meet the demand of industrial progress for longer cycle life,higher energy density and cost efficiency,a quantity of research has been conducted on the commercial application of LIBs.However,it is difficult to achieve satisfying safety and cycling performance simultaneously.There may be thermal runaway(TR),external impact,overcharge and overdischarge in the process of battery abuse,which makes the safety problem of LIBs more prominent.In this review,we summarize recent progress in the smart safety materials design towards the goal of preventing TR of LIBs reversibly from different abuse conditions.Benefiting from smart responsive materials and novel structural design,the safety of LIBs can be improved a lot.We expect to provide a comprehensive reference for the development of smart and safe lithium-based battery materials.

Thermal runaway propagation behavior of the Cell-to-Pack battery system

Structurally compact battery packs significantly improve the driving range of electric vehicles.Technologies like Cell-to-Pack increase energy density by 15%-20%.However,the safety implications of multiple tightly-packed battery cells still require in-depth research.This paper studies thermal runaway propagation behavior in a Cell-to-Pack system and assesses propagation speed relative to other systems.The investigation includes temperature response,extent of battery damage,pack structure deformation,chemical analysis of debris,and other considerations.Results suggest three typical patterns for the thermal runaway propagation process:ordered,disordered,and synchronous.The synchronous propagation pattern displayed the most severe damage,indicating energy release is the largest under the synchronous pattern.This study identifies battery deformation patterns,chemical characteristics of debris,and other observed factors that can both be applied to identify the cause of thermal runaway during accident investigations and help promote safer designs of large battery packs used in large-scale electric energy storage systems.

Thermal Runaway of Lithium-Ion Batteries Employing Flame-Retardant Fluorinated Electrolytes

Fluorinated electrolytes possess good antioxidant capacity that provides high compatibility to high-voltage cathode and flame retardance;thus,they are considered as a promising solution for advanced lithium-ion batteries carrying both high-energy density and high safety.Moreover,the fluorinated electrolytes are widely used to form stable electrolyte interphase,due to their chemical reactivity with lithiated graphite or lithium.However,the influence of this reactivity on the thermal safety of batteries is seldom discussed.Herein,we demonstrate that the flame-retardant fluorinated electrolytes help to reduce the flammability,while the lithium-ion batteries with flame-retardant fluorinated electrolytes still undergo thermal runaway and disclose their different thermal runaway pathway from that of battery with conventional electrolyte.The reduction in fluorinated components(e.g.,LiPF 6 and fluoroethylene carbonate(FEC))by fully lithiated graphite accounts for a significant heat release during battery thermal runaway.The 13%of total heat is sufficient to trigger the chain reactions during battery thermal runaway.This study deepens the understanding of the thermal runaway mechanism of lithium-ion batteries employing flame-retardant fluorinated electrolytes,providing guidance on the concept of electrolyte design for safer lithium-ion batteries.

Mitigating thermal runaway hazard of high-energy lithium-ion batteries by poison agent

Lithium-ion batteries with high-energy density are extensively commercialized in long-range electric vehicles. However, they are poor in thermal stability and pose fire or explosion, which has attracted the global attention. This study describes a new route to mitigate the battery thermal runaway(TR) hazard by poison agents. First, the self-destructive cell is built using the embedded poison layer. Then, the poisoning mechanism and paths are experimentally investigated at the material, electrode, and cell levels. Finally, the proposed route is verified by TR tests. The results show the TR hazard can be significantly reduced in the self-destructive cell based on a new reaction sequence regulation. Specifically, the maximum temperature of the self-destructive cell is more than 300℃ lower than that of the normal cell during TR. The drop in maximum temperature can reduce total heat release and the probability of TR propagation in the battery system, significantly improving battery safety.

Study about thermal runaway behavior of high specific energy density Li-ion batteries in a low state of charge

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electric vehicles and electronics, and their thermal safety receives widespread attention from consumers. In our study, thermal runaway testing was conducted on the thermal stability of commercial lithium-ion batteries, and the internal structure of the battery was analyzed with an in-depth focus on the key factors of the thermal runaway. Through the study of the structure and thermal stability of the cathode, anode, and separator, the results showed that the phase transition reaction of the separator was the key factor affecting the thermal runaway of the battery for the condition of a low state of charge.

Influences of multi factors on thermal runaway induced by overcharging of lithium-ion battery

Thermal runaway caused by overcharging results in catastrophic disasters. The influences of charging rate, ambient temperature and aging on thermal runaway caused by overcharging are studied qualitatively and quantitatively in this manuscript. The results of overcharging tests indicate that high charging rate and ambient temperature increase thermal runaway risk. Aging in 40 ℃ decreases thermal runaway risk. The risk increase of battery with high overcharging rate and in high ambient temperature is due to fast lithium plating reaction and accelerated SEI decomposition, respectively. The risk decrease of aged battery is due to the occurrence of SEI before overcharging tests. SEI suppresses the side reactions between lithium plating and electrolyte. The results of orthogonal tests indicate that the rank of effect is: discharging rate > ambient temperature > aging. The heat generation is calculated based on the results of overcharging tests. The calculation results indicate that heat generated by side reactions contributes more to the total heat generation. Although thermal runaway does not occur during overcharging with low current, the heat dissipation of the lithium-ion battery is the most and deserves focus. The results are important to the design of battery management system and thermal management system to prevent thermal runaway induced by overcharging in total lifespan of battery.

Analysis of the Thermal Behavior of a Lithium Cell Undergoing Thermal Runaway

This study examines the thermal runaway of a lithium ion battery caused by poor heat dissipation performances.The heat transfer process is analyzed on the basis of standard theoretical concepts.Water mist additives are considered as a tool to suppress the thermal runaway process.The ensuing behaviour of the battery in terms of surface temperature and heat generation is analyzed for different charge and discharge rates.It is found that when the remaining charge is 100%,the heat generation rate of the battery is the lowest,and the surface temperature with a 2C charge rate is higher than that obtained for a 0.5C charge rate.The experimental results show that when the additive concentration is 20%NaCl,its ability to inhibit the thermal runaway is the strongest.

Thermal Runaway Characteristics and Modeling of LiFePO4 Power Battery for Electric Vehicles

LiFePO_(4)(LFP)lithium-ion batteries have gained widespread use in electric vehicles due to their safety and longevity,but thermal runaway(TR)incidents still have been reported.This paper explores the TR characteristics and modeling of LFP batteries at different states of charge(SOC).Adiabatic tests reveal that TR severity increases with SOC,and five stages are identified based on battery temperature evolution.Reaction kinetics parameters of exothermic reactions in each TR stage are extracted,and TR models for LFP batteries are established.The models accurately simulate TR behaviors at different SOCs,and the simulated TR characteristic temperatures also agree well with the experimental results,with errors of TR characteristic temperatures less than 3%.The prediction errors of TR characteristic temperatures under oven test conditions are also less than 1%.The results provide a comprehensive understanding of TR in LFP batteries,which is useful for battery safety design and optimization.

Higher-order polysulfides induced thermal runaway for 1.0 Ah lithium sulfur pouch cells

Comprehensive analyses on thermal runaway mechanisms are critically vital to achieve the safe lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.The reactions between dissolved higher-order polysulfides and Li metal were found to be the origins for the thermal runaway of 1.0 Ah cycled Li-S pouch cells.16-cycle pouch cell indicates high safety,heating from 30 to 300 ℃ without thermal runaway,while 16-cycle pouch cell with additional electrolyte undergoes severe thermal runaway at 147.9 ℃,demonstrating the key roles of the electrolyte on the thermal safety of batteries.On the contrary,thermal runaway does not occur for 45-cycle pouch cell despite the addition of the electrolyte.It is found that the higher-order polysulfides(Li_(2)S_(x) ≥ 6)are discovered in 16-cycle electrolyte while the sulfur species in 45-cycle electrolyte are Li_(2)S_(x) ≤ 4.In addition,strong exothermic reactions are discovered between cycled Li and dissolved higher-order polysulfide(Li_(2)S_(6) and Li_(2)S_(8))at 153.0 ℃,driving the thermal runaway of cycled Li-S pouch cells.This work uncovers the potential safety risks of Li-S batteries and negative roles of the polysulfide shuttle for Li-S batteries from the safety view.

Thermal safety boundary of lithium-ion battery at different state of charge

Thermal runaway(TR)is a critical issue hindering the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).Understanding the thermal safety behavior of LIBs at the cell and module level under different state of charges(SOCs)has significant implications for reinforcing the thermal safety design of the lithium-ion battery module.This study first investigates the thermal safety boundary(TSB)correspondence at the cells and modules level under the guidance of a newly proposed concept,safe electric quantity boundary(SEQB).A reasonable thermal runaway propagation(TRP)judgment indicator,peak heat transfer power(PHTP),is proposed to predict whether TRP occurs.Moreover,a validated 3D model is used to quantitatively clarify the TSB at different SOCs from the perspective of PHTP,TR trigger temperature,SOC,and the full cycle life.Besides,three different TRP transfer modes are discovered.The interconversion relationship of three different TRP modes is investigated from the perspective of PHTP.This paper explores the TSB of LIBs under different SOCs at both cell and module levels for the first time,which has great significance in guiding the thermal safety design of battery systems.

Inherent thermal-responsive strategies for safe lithium batteries

Safe batteries are the basis for next-generation application scenarios such as portable energy storage devices and electric vehicles,which are crucial to achieving carbon neutralization.Electrolytes,separators,and electrodes as main components of lithium batteries strongly affect the occurrence of safety accidents.Responsive materials,which can respond to external stimuli or environmental change,have triggered extensive attentions recently,holding great promise in facilitating safe and smart batteries.This review thoroughly discusses recent advances regarding the construction of high-safety lithium batteries based on internal thermal-responsive strategies,together with the corresponding changes in electrochemical performance under external stimulus.Furthermore,the existing challenges and outlook for the design of safe batteries are presented,creating valuable insights and proposing directions for the practical implementation of safe lithium batteries.

Overcharge-to-thermal-runaway behavior and safety assessment of commercial lithium-ion cells with different cathode materials:A comparison study

In this paper,overcharge behaviors and thermal runaway(TR)features of large format lithium-ion(Liion)cells with different cathode materials(LiFePO4(LFP),Li[Ni_(1/3)Co_(1/3)Mn_(1/3)]O_(2)(NCM111),Li[Ni_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)]O_(2)(NCM622)and Li[Ni_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)]O_(2)(NCM811))were investigated.The results showed that,under the same overcharge condition,the TR of LFP Li-ion cell occurred earlier compared with the NCM Li-ion cells,indicating its poor overcharge tolerance and high TR risk.However,when TR occurred,LFP Li-ion cell exhibited lower maximum temperature and mild TR response.All NCM Liion cells caught fire or exploded during TR,while the LFP Li-ion cell only released a large amount of smoke without fire.According to the overcharge behaviors and TR features,a safety assessment score system was proposed to evaluate the safety of the cells.In short,NCM Li-ion cells have better performance in energy density and overcharge tolerance(or low TR risk),while LFP Li-ion cell showed less severe response to overcharging(or less TR hazards).For NCM Li-ion cells,as the ratio of nickel in cathode material increases,the thermal stability of the cathode materials becomes poorer,and the TR hazards increase.Such a comparison study on large format Li-ion cells with different cathode materials can provide deeper insights into the overcharge behaviors and TR features,and provide guidance for engineers to reasonably choose battery materials in automotive applications.

Strategies to Solve Lithium Battery Thermal Runaway:From Mechanism to Modification

As the global energy policy gradually shifts from fossil energy to renewable energy,lithium batteries,as important energy storage devices,have a great advantage over other batteries and have attracted widespread attention.With the increasing energy density of lithium batteries,promotion of their safety is urgent.Thermal runaway is an inevitable safety problem in lithium battery research.Therefore,paying attention to the thermal hazards of lithium battery materials and taking corresponding preventive measures are of great significance.In this review,the heat source and thermal hazards of lithium batteries are discussed with an emphasis on the designs,modifications,and improvements to suppress thermal runaway based on the inherent structure of lithium batteries.According to the source of battery heat,we divide it into reversible heat and irreversible heat.Additionally,superfluous heat generation has profound effects,including thermal runaway,capacity loss,and electrical imbalance.Thereafter,we emphatically discuss the design and modification strategies for various battery components(anodes,cathodes,electrolytes,and separators)to suppress thermal runaway.Preparation of solid electrolyte interphase layers with excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties is the core of the modification strategy for anode materials.Additives,stable coatings,elemental substitution,and thermally responsive coating materials are commonly used to improve the safety of cathodes.Novel electrolyte additives,solid-state electrolytes,and thermally stable separators provide a good opportunity to solve the thermal runaway problem of next-generation high-performance electrochemical storage devices.

Effects of Angular Fillers on Thermal Runaway of Lithium-Ion Battery

By adding 1 wt% damage homogenizer（DH）, i.e. carbon black microparticles, into the electrodes of lithiumion batteries, thermal runaway can be mitigated as the battery cells are subjected to impact loadings. In a drop tower test, the generated heat of the modified cells is reduced by nearly 40%, compared with the reference cells. This phenomenon may be attributed to the weakening effect of the carbon black fillers.The shape of the filler grains does not have a pronounced influence on the temperature profile.

Dendrite-accelerated thermal runaway mechanisms of lithium metal pouch batteries

High-energy-density lithium metal batteries(LMBs)are widely accepted as promising next-generation energy storage systems.However,the safety features of practical LMBs are rarely explored quantitatively.Herein,the thermal runaway behaviors of a 3.26 Ah(343 Wh kg^(−1))Li|LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2)pouch cell in the whole life cycle are quantitatively investigated by extended volume-accelerating rate calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry.By thermal failure analyses on pristine cell with fresh Li metal,activated cell with once plated dendrites,and 20-cycled cell with large quantities of dendrites and dead Li,dendrite-accelerated thermal runaway mechanisms including reaction sequence and heat release contribution are reached.Suppressing dendrite growth and reducing the reactivity between Li metal anode and electrolyte at high temperature are effective strategies to enhance the safety performance of LMBs.These findings can largely enhance the understanding on the thermal runaway behaviors of Li metal pouch cells in practical working conditions.

Effect of preload forces on multidimensional signal dynamic behaviours for battery early safety warning

Providing early safety warning for batteries in real-world applications is challenging.In this study,comprehensive thermal abuse experiments are conducted to clarify the multidimensional signal evolution of battery failure under various preload forces.The time-sequence relationship among expansion force,voltage,and temperature during thermal abuse under five categorised stages is revealed.Three characteristic peaks are identified for the expansion force,which correspond to venting,internal short-circuiting,and thermal runaway.In particular,an abnormal expansion force signal can be detected at temperatures as low as 42.4°C,followed by battery thermal runaway in approximately 6.5 min.Moreover,reducing the preload force can improve the effectiveness of the early-warning method via the expansion force.Specifically,reducing the preload force from 6000 to 1000 N prolongs the warning time(i.e.,227 to 398 s)before thermal runaway is triggered.Based on the results,a notable expansion force early-warning method is proposed that can successfully enable early safety warning approximately 375 s ahead of battery thermal runaway and effectively prevent failure propagation with module validation.This study provides a practical reference for the development of timely and accurate early-warning strategies as well as guidance for the design of safer battery systems.