Anisotropic and homogeneous model of heat transfer for self-heating ignition of large ensembles of lithium-ion batteries during storage
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Hu, Zhenwen
He, Xuanze
Restuccia, Francesco
Rein, Guillermo
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Self-heating ignition is a fire hazard in warehouses when stacking large quantities of reactive materials for storage, including lithium-ion batteries. Due to the heavy costs and dangerous fire risks, the thermal behaviour of large-scale LIB ensembles is usually studied by numerical methods. The state-of-the-art self-heating models on LIBs are either too computationally expensive to be applied to the predictions of large LIB ensembles, or capable of large ensemble predictions but missing important heat transfer characteristics like insulation in packaging. Based on four-step kinetics from the literature (Solid electrolyte interphase decomposition, negative-electrolyte reaction, positive-electrolyte reaction, and electrolyte decomposition), we have developed a 3D anisotropic homogeneous (Ani-Hom) transient heat transfer model that can incorporate complex packaging and is numerically affordable for large ensemble predictions based on COMSOL Multiphysics. The effect of packaging insulation is considered by using weight-averaged thermophysical properties and directional thermal conductivities. Lithium Cobalt batteries (LCO) are used as a case study. This Ani-Hom model was verified by comparing a box-scale simulation against an isotropic heterogeneous (Iso-Het) model from the literature. Both the predictions of temperature evolution and the heat generation agreed to within 5%, while the computational time of the Ani-Hom model is one order of magnitude lower than the Iso-Het model. The Ani-Hom model is then applied to LIB ensembles in four possible storage sizes, ranging from a single cell to a rack with around 10 million cells, with different packing configurations and spacing between cells. The model predicts that the presence of packaging insulation promotes self-heating ignition. A rack of this LCO LIBs is predicted to self-ignite at an ambient temperature of 45℃, which indicates that LIBs in a warehouse are vulnerable to fire hazards in warm environments. The presence of defects or abuse will even lower this critical ambient temperature. This work provides insights into the effects of complex insulation and spacing on self-heating ignition of LIBs during storage and contributes to a better understanding which can help mitigate such fires.
Date Issued
2021-07-26
Date Acceptance
2021-06-28
Citation
Applied Thermal Engineering, 2021, 197
ISSN
1359-4311
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Applied Thermal Engineering
Volume
197
Copyright Statement
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Identifier
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000688428600001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Thermodynamics
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Mechanical
Mechanics
Engineering
Self-heating
Lithium-ion battery
Thermal runaway
Safety
Heat transfer
ACCELERATING RATE CALORIMETRY
THERMAL RUNAWAY PROPAGATION
INTERCALATED GRAPHITE
ELECTROLYTE
BEHAVIOR
ENERGY
PYROLYSIS
STABILITY
DISCHARGE
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 117301