Deflagration pressure and gas burning velocity in one important incident. High-voltage arc induced explosion pressures. Utility-scale lithium-ion energy storage batteries are being installed at an accelerating rate in many parts of the world. Some of these batteries have experienced troubling fires and explosions.
The Science of Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries sheds light on lithium-ion battery construction, the basics of thermal runaway, and potential fire and explosion hazards.
When a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out, the damage can be extensive. These fires are not only intense, they are also long-lasting and potentially toxic. What causes these fires? Most electric vehicles humming along Australian roads are packed with lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion battery-powered devices — like cell phones, laptops, toothbrushes, power tools, electric vehicles and scooters — are everywhere. Despite their many advantages, lithium-ion batteries have the potential to overheat, catch fire, and cause explosions.
Conclusions Several large-scale lithium-ion energy storage battery fire incidents have involved explosions. The large explosion incidents, in which battery system enclosures are damaged, are due to the deflagration of accumulated flammable gases generated during cell thermal runaways within one or more modules.
Our quantitative study of the emission gases from Li-ion battery fires covers a wide range of battery types. We found that commercial lithium-ion batteries can emit considerable amounts of HF during a fire and that the emission rates vary for different types of batteries and SOC levels.