A model for the prediction of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries

The increasing popularity of electric vehicles is driving research into lithium -ion batteries (LIBs). Thermal runaway (TR) in LIBs is a serious concern for the safe operation of these high-energy-density batteries that is yet to be overcome. A reliable model is needed to predict voltage variation, heat generation, temperature rise, and the process leading to TR of a LIB battery under its operating conditions (charging-discharging). Such a model can be used to design battery packs more resilient to thermal runaway or assess how a battery pack would perform under hazardous conditions. Furthermore, it can be used for generating a warning signal if there is a possibility of the battery going towards TR. This paper presents an approach to solving this problem, which is not currently well addressed in the literature. The approach adopted in this paper is based on a numerical analysis of a multilayered electrochemical-thermal model of LIB. Tuning the parameters of a LIB for accurate results from this numerical model is presented, as well as the details of the approach in the paper. Experiments are performed under several LIBs, and their voltage and surface temperature variations are measured under various operating conditions, including thermal runaway. The results of the experiments are compared with the predictions of the numerical simulations. An excellent agreement is observed with the experimental results, proving the accuracy of the proposed approach. This approach can be configured to give results in a few minutes. The paper also discusses how the developed approach can be used to create a TR warning during operating conditions or to change the mode of operation of a LIB before a hazard occurs.