Consequences of thermal runaway of energy storage batteries

How do battery capacity and energy density affect thermal runaway reactions?

Studies have shown that the battery capacity and energy density influence the volume of escaped gas and the loss of battery mass. Higher energy densities and capacities at the cell level lead to earlier and severer thermal runaway reactions. Therefore, these factors need to be considered in the selection of battery systems.

What triggers thermal runaway in a battery?

Thermal runaway in a battery is triggered when the battery’s internal temperature reaches a point that causes a breakdown of the internal components. At its core, thermal runaway is a chain reaction within a battery that leads to rapid temperature and pressure increase.

How can a battery avoid thermal runaway?

Residual energy in the battery, the state of charge (SOC), energy released in a battery, and DOD: These parameters are related to the diffusion rate of lithium ions, which suggests that prevention of overcharge and overdischarge of the battery is a feasible approach to avoid thermal runaway.

Why is thermal runaway important in lithium battery safety research?

Thermal runaway is an inevitable subject of lithium battery safety research. Because of the rapid spread of information today, fires and explosions due to lithium batteries in applications ranging from mobile phones to electric cars and airplanes are often reported.

What happens if a lithium battery escaped gas or thermal runaway?

In the pursuit of lithium batteries with a higher energy density, the disposal of escaped gas and thermal runaway should be seriously considered. If the active substances inside a battery are converted into inactive substances, then the effective capacity will decay, resulting in capacity reduction at all discharge rates.

Can lithium-ion batteries reduce thermal runaway propagation?

This paper forecasts strategies for mitigating the thermal runaway propagation. With the escalation of environmental issues, the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become a prominent solution to replace the use of fossil fuels.