As the energy density of battery packs for vehicles and grid energy storage increases, how can we make high-density energy systems less hazardous and more reliable? That’s the question explored by scientists at Exponent Inc., Menlo Park, Calif.
Their new technical paper, “Understanding the Fundamental Mechanisms of Battery Thermal Runaway Propagation and Mitigation” published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, explains how severe thermal runaway scenarios can occur and outlines the tenets of successful mitigation to reduce these hazards.
Thermal runaway events often begin with the failure of a single battery cell or group of cells, cascading to other neighboring cells, and increasing in severity as the stored energy of the battery pack is released. To reduce the likelihood and severity of these scenarios, the scientists discuss design strategies that can impede propagation of thermal runaway events between cells.
To implement these design strategies and moderation measures, the authors suggest that design engineers first develop a deep understanding of the mechanisms that drive battery thermal runaway propagation. To start, the authors outline a number of the factors that drive many cell failures and runaway events such as acute exposure of a cell to high temperatures, mechanical abuse, and flaws in the construction of either individual cells or the battery pack.
The paper then discusses the mechanisms by which thermal runaway propagation can occur between cells and provides details on the fundamentals of these methods. In addition, the authors provide an overview of potential mitigation approaches to prevent thermal runaway propagation that are currently used in industry and commentary on pathways for developing an effective protection strategy.
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Exponent, Inc.
