A Comparative Study of Lithium-Ion Cathode Chemistry Correlations with Emissions Initiated by Nail Penetration Abuse in the Presence of an Immersive Coolant
2022-01-0847
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- The batteries tested during this work were common batteries used in existing automotive applications, and they included a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery from a Chevrolet Bolt, a lithium manganese oxide (LMO) battery from a Chevrolet Volt, and a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in a hybrid transit bus. The battery abuse and emissions tests were designed to intentionally drive the three different battery chemistries into thermal runaway while measuring battery temperatures, battery voltages, gaseous emissions, and feedback from volatile organic compound (VOC) sensors. A conductive nail was used to pierce the battery cell separator membrane which provided direct electrical contact between the positive and negative electrodes. The electrical contact between the electrodes acted as a low resistance path for a significant amount of current to pass between the electrodes which caused heat generation leading to thermal runaway of a single cell inside a module. During this testing, the batteries were submerged in an immersive coolant in order to judge how effective the immersive coolant was in preventing additional thermal propagation. The test articles and the test setup are described in detail. The facilities at SwRI that were utilized to perform this work are also delineated. The properties of the immersive coolant used for this study are also reported. The emissions collected during the nail penetration testing are summarized in tabular and graphic formats. A comparison of emissions collected from FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), GC-FID (Gas Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection) and AES (Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) are reported in appropriate units flagging any transgression of health-related safety limits. The authors hope that the emissions reported in such great detail can form a reference for future research in battery pack design.
- Citation
- Surampudi, B., and Jones, K., "A Comparative Study of Lithium-Ion Cathode Chemistry Correlations with Emissions Initiated by Nail Penetration Abuse in the Presence of an Immersive Coolant," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0847, 2022, .