A large-scale experimental study on the thermal failure propagation behaviors of primary lithium batteries. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Mingyi; Liu, Jiahao; Ouyang, Dongxu; Weng, Jingwen; Wu, Xiangyang; Cao, Shuchao; Wang, Jian
• Is Part Of: Journal of energy storage. Volume 31(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: Primary lithium battery -- Thermal failure propagation -- Fire safety -- Effective heat; Energy storage -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Research -- Periodicals; 621.3126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.est.2020.101657
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-152X

Abstract

Highlights: Significant intermittent thermal failure propagation behaviors of lithium batteries are revealed. There is a domino effect phenomenon in the thermal failure propagation of the battery pack. Exponential fitting line for the total heat release versus time is established. Empirical conclusions about effective heat and cell numbers are established. Abstract: In order to investigate the thermal failure propagation behaviors of lithium batteries, a sequence of full-scale burning tests were conducted. The results showed that the average mass loss and total heat release of an individual cell are 5.8 g and 31.9 kJ, respectively. The battery pack fire exhibited intermittent propagation behaviors due to the heat interaction between the cells. An obvious domino phenomenon with a chain-like increase in temperature rise and propagation speed could be observed during the thermal failure propagation process. The temperature of the cell surface is about 700~1000 °C during the combustion process. Several cells burned simultaneously and exacerbated the burning rate, resulting in the larger mass loss rate and the heat release rate for the larger battery pack. The average mass loss rate is 0.69 g/s for 6 × 6 cells and 1.0 g/s for 10×10 cells, respectively. Moreover, the increasing combustion efficiency appeared in the larger battery pack. The effective heat is 2.0 kJ/g for single cell, 3.2 kJ/g for 6 × 6 cells, and 3.9 kJ/g for 10×10 cells. This study can provide a theoretical reference for the fire safety design of large lithium battery energy storage equipment.