Comparison of Representative Wet and Dry Fire Suppressants to Retard Fire Propagation in Lithium-Ion Modules initiated by Overcharge Abuse
2022-01-0860
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. Overcharge tests simulated a failure in the devices responsible for ensuring the battery remained within safe operating limits during charging. Overcharging a battery can cause lithium plating and other exothermic reactions that will lead to thermal runaway. During the testing, VOC sensors were used to determine what, if any, amount of forewarning they may provide in the event the battery enters thermal runaway. Additionally, three different fire suppressant agents were also used to judge whether one is more effective than the other in extinguishing the battery fires. The fire suppressants were engaged sixty seconds after thermal runaway was detected, and their effectiveness was judged by visually evaluating whether the fire was extinguished and remained extinguished. Data is analyzed to extract comparisons in peak thermal runaway temperatures, the amount of forewarning the battery may provide preceding thermal runaway as measured by the pre-thermal runaway temperatures and VOC sensors, and other qualitative metrics observed during the testing. The emissions collected during the overcharge testing are summarized for all the three chemistries and various suppressants. Results from a baseline case with no suppressant are also included for reference.
- Citation
- Surampudi, B., Jones, K., and Shuvodeep Bhattacharyya , B., "Comparison of Representative Wet and Dry Fire Suppressants to Retard Fire Propagation in Lithium-Ion Modules initiated by Overcharge Abuse," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0860, 2022, .