Quantitative Analysis of Lithium-Ion Battery Eruption Behavior in Thermal Runaway

Abstract

With the widespread adoption of battery technology in electric vehicles, there has been significant attention drawn to the increasing frequency of battery fire incidents. However, the jetting behavior and expansion force during the thermal runaway (TR) of batteries represent highly dynamic phenomena, which lack comprehensive quantitative description. This study addresses this gap by employing an enhanced experimental setup that synchronizes the video timing of cameras with a signal acquisition system, enabling the multidimensional quantification of signals, such as images, temperature, voltage, and pressure. It also provides a detailed description of the jetting behavior and expansion force characteristics over time for Li(Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1)O2 batteries undergoing thermal runaway in an open environment. The results from three experiments effectively identify key temporal features, including the timing of the initial jetting spark, maximum jetting velocity, jetting duration, explosion duration, and patterns of flame volume variation. This quantitative analytical approach proves effective across various battery types and conditions. The findings could offer scientific foundations and experimental strategies for parameter identification in fire prevention and thermal runaway model development.

Keywords

• expansion force
• thermal runaway
• lithium-ion battery
• temperature
• deflagration limit