LIB Sparks - Gases, sparks and flames - a numerical study of lithium-ion battery failure in closed spaces and its mitigation

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) plays a key role towards creating a carbon-neutral economy in the EU. However, under thermal/mechanical/ electric abuse, the electrolyte solvents of LIBs evaporate and boil, leading to internal pressure and temperature rise to release toxic gases, followed by decomposition of other cell components, releasing flammable gases and sparks leading to thermal runaway (TR) and fire. Insight is, however, lacking about the emissions of toxic gases and sparks, which can help development of mitigation measures to improve LIB safety.

The project aims to develop and validate a robust model within the frame of open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code OpenFOAM for the whole process of TR evolution and the propagation of TR in closed clusters/packs. The specific objectives include:
1. Develop a robust modelling approach for the generation of flammable gases and the accompanying cell internal pressure rise during TR and validate the model with published and emerging literature data.
2. Use the validated model to fill the experimental gaps about the whole process of TR evolution and predict the gas composition and temperature at the time of ejections.
3. Develop a viable approach to obtain particle size distribution and composition from the published measurements.
4. Extend the model to address the tribo-electric charging, electric arcing and heating effects of the sparks.
5. Simulate ejections of gases and particles as well as the resulting fire in the open.
6. Simulate closed cell clusters to examine the effects of sparks on TR propagation and validate with literature data.
7. Propose and evaluate potential protection and mitigation measures.

The objectives can be measured by the success of validation at different stages of the development. The development will be verified by another researcher of the host running simulations independently.