Exploring thermal runaway propagation in Li-ion batteries through high-speed X-ray imaging and thermal analysis: Impact of cell chemistry and electrical connections

Fransson, Matilda; Pfaff, Jonas; Broche, Ludovic; Buckwell, Mark; Kirchner-Burles, Charlie; Reid, Hamish T.; Schopferer, Sebastian; Rack, Alexander; Finegan, Donal P.; Shearing, Paul R.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234916

Exploring thermal runaway propagation in Li-ion batteries through high-speed X-ray imaging and thermal analysis: Impact of cell chemistry and electrical connections

Journal Article · Wed Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234916· OSTI ID:2447834

^[1]; Pfaff, Jonas ^[2]; Broche, Ludovic ^[3]; ^[4]; Kirchner-Burles, Charlie ^[5]; ^[6]; Schopferer, Sebastian ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[7]; Shearing, Paul R. ^[8]

Univ. College London (United Kingdom); European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble (France)
Ernst-Mach-Institut (EMI), Efringen-Kirchen (Germany). Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble (France)
Univ. College London (United Kingdom); Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot (United Kingdom). The Faraday Institution
Univ. College London (United Kingdom); National Physical Laboratory, Teddington (United Kingdom)
Univ. College London (United Kingdom)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot (United Kingdom). The Faraday Institution

Battery safety design is important to consider from the individual Li-ion cell to the level of the macro-system. On the macro-level, failure in one single cell can lead to propagation of the thermal runaway and rapidly set a whole battery pack on fire. Factors that can impact the propagation outcome, such as cell model/chemistry and electrical connection are here investigated using a combination of measurements. Several abusive tests were conducted, combining two different cell models (Molicel P42A and LG M50, both 21700s) in series and parallel connections (16 tests per configuration). Overall, a propagation outcome of 56% was measured from the 32 conducted tests, a minimum temperature of 150 °C was required to initiate propagation, and the fastest propagation occurred in 123 s. Temperature measurements were higher in series connected cells, initiating the discussion of cell chemistry and internal resistance on this effect. The difference in current-flow during thermal runaway in series and parallel connections, and how this can affect the temperature evolution is further discussed. Spatio-temporal mapping of X-ray radiography allowed us to derive the speed of thermal runaway evolution inside the battery and has shown that series connected cells, in particular P42A, occur faster. It was further observed that deviant sidewall behaviors such as temperature-induced breaches and pressure-induced ruptures occurred in P42As only respective nail-penetrated cells only.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2447834

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5700-87353; MainId:88128; UUID:f5e84e5f-3c25-4f89-8540-eaab046982d9; MainAdminId:73844

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Vol. 617; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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